refrigerator

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator that suppresses warpage of a door while suppressing a cost increase and deterioration of designability. This refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises: a box body that internally has a storage chamber having an opening in the front thereof; and a door that opens and closes the opening at the front of the box body. The door includes a front plate that forms a front surface, a pair of short-side frame members that are provided in the short-side direction of the front plate, and a pair of long-side frame members provided in the long-side direction of the front plate. The short-side frame members each include a pair of ribs that fix the front plate from the back surface in the short-side direction, and the long-side frame members each include a sliding member that fixes the front plate from the back surface and is slidable in the long-side direction. Consequently, the refrigerator according to the present disclosure does not require a process for fitting, to the door, a frame member for covering the periphery of a glass plate front surface, or fitting the frame member to a step by providing the step at the end of the glass plate, and therefore warping of the refrigerator door can be suppressed while suppressing a cost increase and deterioration of designability.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a front panel on the front surface of a door for opening and closing a storage compartment. [Background technology]

[0002] In some conventional refrigerators, a glass plate is used for the front panel of the door that opens and closes the storage compartment to improve the design of the exterior. In some such doors, the glass plate is fixed to a frame member that forms the side of the door with an adhesive such as hot melt or double-sided tape. In some such doors, a synthetic resin is used for the frame member.

[0003] In a refrigerator equipped with such a door, when the refrigerator starts cooling, cold air is supplied into the storage compartment, cooling the glass plate and the frame member. When cooled, the glass plate and the frame member contract according to the linear expansion coefficient of their respective materials. Synthetic resins have a greater linear expansion coefficient than glass materials. Therefore, the lower the temperature of the door due to the cold air in the storage compartment, the greater the amount of contraction of the frame member made of synthetic resin compared to the amount of contraction of the glass plate. When the glass plate is pulled by the contraction of the frame member fixed to the back surface of the glass plate with adhesive or hot melt, the glass plate distorts in a forward convex direction, causing warping of the glass plate. Such warping can create gaps between the glass plate and the frame member, potentially allowing urethane foam to leak through the gaps, resulting in problems with the refrigerator's quality and design.

[0004] One way to prevent this type of refrigerator door warping is to sandwich the front panel between the frame members rather than using adhesive to secure them together. Patent Document 1 proposes a refrigerator in which the glass plate is sandwiched between the frame members rather than being secured together with adhesive such as hot melt or double-sided tape (Patent Document 1: JP 2016-125778 A). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-125778 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the refrigerator of Patent Document 1, the frame member sandwiches the periphery of the glass plate, so that the frame member is exposed and covers the periphery of the front surface of the glass plate, impairing the design. In addition, fine dust tends to accumulate at the boundary between the frame member and the glass plate, which impairs the aesthetic appearance of the refrigerator as the period of use increases. To improve the external appearance of refrigerators, a structure has been considered in which a step is provided at the edge of the glass plate, which is a decorative surface material, and a frame member is fitted into the step, thereby suppressing exposure of the frame member while suppressing warping. However, this structure requires the step to be formed in the glass plate, which is time-consuming. Another problem with this structure is that stresses generated in the glass plate and the frame member can easily cause cracks at the joint between the glass plate and the frame member.

[0007] The present invention solves these problems by suppressing warping of refrigerator doors while preventing increases in cost and deterioration in design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises a box body having an internal storage compartment with an opening at the front, and a door for opening and closing the opening, the door having a front panel forming the front surface, a pair of short-side frame members arranged along the short direction of the front panel, and a pair of long-side frame members arranged along the long direction of the front panel, the short-side frame members including a pair of ribs for fixing the front panel from the back surface along the short direction, and the long-side frame members including sliding members for fixing the front panel from the back surface and which are slidable in the longitudinal direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In this configuration, the door has a pair of short-side frame members provided along the short direction of the front panel and a pair of long-side frame members provided along the long direction of the front panel, the short-side frame members including a pair of ribs along the short direction that secure the front panel from the back surface, and the long-side frame members including sliding members that secure the front panel from the back surface and are slidable in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the door does not require a frame member that covers the periphery of the front surface of the glass plate or a process of providing a step at the edge of the glass plate and fitting the frame member into the step, thereby suppressing warping of the refrigerator door while preventing increases in cost and deterioration of design. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator taken along the cross-sectional line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing each component that constitutes a freezer compartment door of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the freezer compartment door with the front panel removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the joint between the left frame member and the lower frame member of the frame member. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the freezer compartment door taken along the cross-sectional line BB in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of an area C1 in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of an area C2 in FIG. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are views showing a process of integrally molding the lower frame member and the sliding member by insert molding. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing a configuration in which the upper end of the front panel is C-cut. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing a configuration in which the upper end of the front panel is C-cut. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a front view of the refrigerator according to the second embodiment, with the front panel of the freezer compartment door removed. [Figure 13]FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a lower frame member to which a second sliding member is attached in a refrigerator according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, among the reference symbols in the drawings, the same or equivalent symbols are used throughout the entire specification.

[0012] This specification is not limited to the following embodiments, and each structure may be modified or omitted without departing from the spirit of this specification. The drawings may show a simplified representation of the actual structure. The size of each component and the relative positions of the components in the drawings may differ from the actual ones. Furthermore, the forms of each component shown in this specification are merely examples and are not limited to these descriptions. Unless otherwise specified, in this specification, up, down, left, and right are defined based on the direction from which a user standing in front of the refrigerator views the refrigerator. Furthermore, the side of the refrigerator body where the storage compartment opening (described later) is formed is defined as the front, and the side where the storage compartment is formed relative to the front is defined as the "rear." In this specification, the "left-right direction" refers to the left-right direction defined above. In this specification, the "up-down direction" refers to the up-down direction defined above. In this specification, the "depth direction" refers to the front-to-back direction defined above. In the following description, terms indicating directions (e.g., "upper," "upper side," "lower," "lower side," "left," "left side," "right," "right," "front," "front," "front side," "rear," "rear," "depth," "inside," "outside," etc.) are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding. However, these terms are for explanatory purposes and do not limit the present invention. In this specification, the above terms are used to indicate the relative positional relationship of the refrigerator body and the door to each component when the refrigerator body and the door are attached to the refrigerator body and viewed from the front.

[0013] Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a front view of refrigerator 100, which is a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the depth direction of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, refrigerator 100 includes a box body 2, which is the refrigerator body. As shown in FIG. 2, box body 2 includes a storage space 3 therein, which has an opening on the front surface (front face) of box body 2. Box body 2 is composed of an outer box 4 made of steel plate, an inner box 5 made of resin, and foam insulation material 6 and vacuum insulation material 7 filled between outer box 4 and inner box 5. Refrigerator 100 includes a plurality of insulating partition walls 8 within storage space 3, which are separated by partition walls 8 into a plurality of storage compartments: a refrigerator compartment 9, a switchable compartment 10, an ice maker compartment (not shown), a freezer compartment 12, and a vegetable compartment 13.

[0015] Refrigerator 100 has a switchable compartment 10 below refrigerator compartment 9, which can switch the refrigeration temperature range, and an ice making compartment next to switchable compartment 10. Refrigerator 10 has a freezer compartment 12 below switchable compartment 10 and the ice making compartment, and a vegetable compartment 13 below freezer compartment 12. The settable temperature ranges (set temperature ranges) for each storage compartment are, for example, approximately 3°C for refrigerator compartment 9, 0°C or -7°C for switchable compartment 10, approximately -12°C to -18°C for ice making compartment 11 and freezer compartment 12, and approximately 5°C for vegetable compartment 13. Note that the configuration of the multiple storage compartments is not limited to that shown in the figure. Furthermore, the set temperatures for each storage compartment are not limited to those shown, and can be changed appropriately depending on the installation location and contents.

[0016] The refrigerator 100 is equipped with a left refrigerator compartment door 15 and a right refrigerator compartment door 16 that open or close the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 9. The left refrigerator compartment door 15 and the right refrigerator compartment door 16 are attached to the case body 2 with hinges 17. The left refrigerator compartment door 15 and the right refrigerator compartment door 16 are rotating doors that can rotate independently of each other. The refrigerator 100 is also equipped with a drawer-type switchable compartment door 18 that opens or closes the switchable compartment 10, a drawer-type ice-making compartment door 19 that opens or closes the ice-making compartment, a drawer-type freezer compartment door 20 that opens or closes the freezer compartment 12, and a drawer-type vegetable compartment door 21 that opens or closes the vegetable compartment 13.

[0017] Compressor 22 is disposed at the bottom of the rear of refrigerator 1. The refrigerant compressed by compressor 22 is condensed in a condenser (not shown). The condensed refrigerant is decompressed in a capillary tube (not shown) that serves as a pressure reducer. The decompressed refrigerant evaporates in cooler 23, and the heat absorption effect during this evaporation cools the periphery of cooler 23. Compressor 22, the condenser, the capillary tube that serves as a pressure reducer, and cooler 23 form a refrigeration cycle. Air cooled by cooler 23 passes through a cool air blowing duct (not shown) and is supplied to each storage compartment.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the components that make up the freezer compartment door 20. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the freezer compartment door 20, with the front panel 25 omitted. The structure of the freezer compartment door 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0019] Freezer compartment door 20 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes freezer compartment 12. A frame 24 (see FIG. 2) is attached to a back panel 28 of freezer compartment door 20, and frame 24 is attached to a rail portion (not shown) provided on a side wall of freezer compartment 12. Frame 24 slides along the rail portion to open and close freezer compartment 12 with freezer compartment door 20. Note that in this embodiment, freezer compartment door 20 that opens and closes the front opening of freezer compartment 12 will be described as an example in which the configuration of the present disclosure is applied to a door provided in a refrigerator, but this is not limiting. The configuration of the present disclosure can also be similarly implemented in doors that configure other storage compartments.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 3, the freezer compartment door 20 comprises, from the front, a front panel 25 that forms the front surface 20a of the freezer compartment door 20, an adhesive 26 such as hot melt, a frame member 27 that forms the top, bottom, left, and right side surfaces 20b of the refrigerator compartment door 20, and a back panel 28 that forms the back surface 20c of the refrigerator compartment door 20. The freezer compartment door 20 comprises a first sliding member 50 and a second sliding member 51 that are supported by the frame member 27. The adhesive 26 is applied in a frame shape to the front of the first sliding member 50, the second sliding member 51, and the frame member 27. The adhesive 26 bonds the back surface 25b of the front panel 25 to the first sliding member 50, the second sliding member 51, and the front surface 20a of the frame member 27. Freezer compartment door 20 has a space 29 surrounded at the front, four sides, and rear by front panel 25, frame member 27, and rear panel 28. Figure 3 shows foam insulation material 31 filled in space 29. The front panel 25 is formed to include glass, and is, for example, a light-transmitting glass plate. The frame member 27 is formed from a synthetic resin, for example, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and is manufactured by injection molding. The first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 are flat plate-like members made of a material with a linear expansion coefficient lower than that of the frame member 27, such as a metal plate.

[0021] The configuration of the frame member 27 will be described. The frame member 27 forms the top, bottom, left and right side surfaces 20b of the freezer compartment door 20. The frame member 27 is a substantially rectangular frame-shaped member when the refrigerator door 20 is viewed from the front. The four sides of the frame member 27 are each made up of a separate part. The frame member 27 is formed by connecting an upper frame member 32, a left frame member 33, a lower frame member 34, and a right frame member 35. The upper frame member 32, the left frame member 33, the lower frame member 34 and the right frame member 35 respectively constitute the upper side, the left side, the lower side and the right side of the frame-shaped frame member 27. The upper frame member 32 has an upper side surface portion 32b that forms the upper side surface of the freezer compartment door 20 when the frame member 27 is formed, and an upper rib 32a that extends downward from the upper side surface portion. The left frame member 33 includes a left side surface portion 33b that forms the left side surface of the freezer compartment door 20 when the frame member 27 is formed, and a left rib 33a that extends rightward from the left side surface portion. The lower frame member 34 includes a lower side surface portion 34b that forms the lower side surface of the freezer compartment door 20 when the frame member 27 is formed, and a lower rib 34a that extends upward from the lower side surface portion. The right frame member 35 includes a right side surface portion 35b that forms the right side surface of the freezer compartment door 20 when the frame member 27 is formed, and a right rib 35a that extends leftward from the right side surface portion. When the frame member 27 is formed, the upper rib 32a, the left rib 33a, the lower rib 34a, and the right rib 35a form a frame-shaped support surface portion 36 having a predetermined width. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which, of the four ribs, upper rib 32a, left rib 33a, lower rib 34a, and right rib 35a, the front panel 25 is fixed with an adhesive to the left rib 33a and the right rib 35a, and the front panel 25 is not fixed to the upper rib 32a and the lower rib 34a. The left rib 33a and the right rib 35a are each first ribs, and the upper rib 32a and the lower rib 34a are each second ribs. The freezer compartment door 20 has a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction. The upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34 are the longitudinal frame members, and the left frame member and the right frame member 35 are the shorter frame members. The left frame member 33, which is a short-side frame member, includes a left rib 33a, which is a first rib that secures the front panel 25 from the back surface 25b to the left frame member 33 along the short side. The right frame member 35, which is a short-side frame member, includes a right rib 35a, which is a first rib that secures the front panel 25 from the back surface 25b to the right frame member 35 along the short side. In addition, a first sliding member 50 is attached to the upper frame member 32 to suppress warping that occurs in the left-right direction of the front panel 25 due to cooling. A second sliding member 51 is attached to the lower frame member 34 to suppress warping that occurs in the left-right direction of the front panel 25 due to cooling. The first sliding member 50 secures the front panel 25 from the back surface 25b to the upper frame member 32 and is a member that is slidable in the longitudinal direction. The second sliding member 51 is a member that fixes the front panel 25 from the rear surface 25b to the lower frame member 34 and is slidable in the longitudinal direction. The amount of shrinkage of frame member 27 due to cooling is greater in the longitudinal direction than in the lateral direction of frame member 27. Therefore, when first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 are provided in the longitudinal direction, the effect of suppressing warpage of front panel 25 is greater.

[0022] The frame member 27 is formed by forming the top, bottom, left, and right four sides as separate parts and then assembling them together. The left frame member 33 and the right frame member 35 have a symmetrical structure, and are formed, for example, using a single type of mold and then assembled by flipping one side over. This configuration reduces the cost of the molds used to form each part and makes them easier to handle after molding.

[0023] The frame member 27 has components, an upper frame member 32, a left frame member 33, a lower frame member 34 and a right frame member 35, each of which has claws or fitting portions for assembling to adjacent components.

[0024] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the joint between the left frame member 33 and the lower frame member 34. As shown in FIG. The joint between the left frame member 33 and the lower frame member 34 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0025] The left frame member 33 has, on the lower side of the left side surface portion 33b, a first engagement rib 81 extending rightward from the back surface 80, and a second engagement rib 82 above and at a fixed distance from the first engagement rib 81. The first engagement rib 81 forms part of the lower side surface of the freezer compartment door 20. The second engagement rib 82 has a first joining opening 83 and a second joining opening 84 formed in it at a fixed distance rearward from the first joining opening 83.

[0026] When viewed from the front, the lower frame member 34 has a stepped portion 85 at the left end of the lower side surface portion 34b, which extends upward from the back surface 51 of the lower side surface portion 46 and has a bent portion. The lower frame member 34 has a first engaging portion 86 which protrudes upward from the upper end of the stepped portion 85 and has a first claw portion 88 at its upper end, and a second engaging portion 87 which has a second claw portion 89. In addition, a positioning protrusion 90 which protrudes upward is provided on the upper surface of the stepped portion 85.

[0027] The step portion 85 and the positioning protrusion 90 are inserted between the first engaging rib 81 and the second engaging rib 82, and the step portion 85 and the positioning protrusion 90 are sandwiched between the first engaging rib 81 and the second engaging rib 82. Furthermore, the first claw portion 88 and the second claw portion 89 are inserted into the first joining opening 83 and the second joining opening 84, respectively, and the lower frame member is assembled to the left frame member.

[0028] In this embodiment, the left-right widths of the first joining opening 83 and the second joining opening 84 are larger by the length of contraction of the lower frame member 34 in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) due to cold air, and are larger than the left-right widths of the first claw portion 88 and the second claw portion 89. This makes it possible to prevent distortion of the freezer compartment door 20 caused by the front panel 25 being pulled by the adhesive 26 provided on the left frame member 33 side. The joint between the upper frame member 32 and the right frame member 35, the joint between the upper frame member 32 and the left frame member 33, and the joint between the lower frame member 34 and the right frame member 35 also have the same characteristics as the joint between the left frame member 33 and the lower frame member 34 described above.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of freezer compartment door 20 taken along cross-sectional line BB in the short-side direction (vertical direction) of freezer compartment door 20 in FIG. A front panel 25 made of glass is bonded to the front of the frame member 27, and a back panel 28 is bonded to the rear of the frame member 27, thereby forming the outer shell of the freezer compartment door 20. The back panel 28 and frame member 27 are made of synthetic resin, and the front panel 25 is made of glass. The freezer compartment door 20 includes a vacuum insulation material 30 disposed in a space 29 and a foam insulation material 31 filled in the space 29 with the vacuum insulation material 30 interposed therebetween. The vacuum insulation material 30 is disposed in the space 29 formed by the frame member 27, the front panel 25, and the back panel 28. The foam insulation material 31 is filled in the area of ​​the space 29 excluding the vacuum insulation material 30. Figure 5 shows cross sections of an upper frame member 32 and a lower frame member 34 of the frame member 27. Although not shown in Figure 5, the upper frame member 32 has a handle 37 formed on the front side for a user to hold when opening or closing the freezer compartment door 20. The upper frame member 32 also has a rear rib 75 on the back surface 43, which extends parallel to the upper rib 32a and rearward of the upper rib 32a. The rear rib 75 supports the rear panel 28 from the inside. Similarly, the lower frame member 34 has a rear rib 76 on the back surface 51, which extends parallel to the lower rib 34a and rearward of the lower rib 34a. The rear rib 76 supports the rear panel 28 from the inside.

[0030] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of the upper frame member 32 of the freezer compartment door 20 in the area C1 of FIG. The upper frame member 32 has a flat upper side surface portion 32b that extends in the left-right direction and forms the upper side surface of the freezer compartment door 20. The upper frame member 32 has a support member 44 that extends downward from a back surface 43 of the upper side surface portion 32b at a front portion 42 of the upper side surface portion 32b. The support member 44 is a portion of the upper frame member 32 between dashed lines L1 and L2 in FIG. 6. The support member 44 is wider in the up-down direction than the upper side surface portion 32b and is provided with a handle portion 37 (see FIG. 1) on its front side. Alternatively, if the handle portion 37 is provided on the upper side surface portion 32b of the freezer compartment door 20, the support member 44 indicates to the user the position where the handle portion 37 will be provided. The handle portion 37 can be provided on the support member 44 by forming a portion of the support member 44 into a concave shape toward the rear or by providing a separate handle on the support member 44. The support member 44 prevents the hand, thumb, etc. from coming into contact with the edge of the front panel 25 when the user places their fingers on the handle portion 37, protecting the user's hands and improving the usability of the freezer compartment door 20. In the present embodiment, the freezer compartment door 20 is configured such that the handle portion 37 is provided on the upper frame member 32, but this is not limitative and the handle portion 37 may be provided on the left frame member 33, the lower frame member 34, or the right frame member 35. In this case, the support member 44 is provided on the side of the frame member 27 where the handle portion 37 is provided, and is provided on the left frame member 33, the lower frame member 34, or the right frame member 35. The front surface 38 of the support member 44 corresponds to the front end of the upper frame member 32.

[0031] The upper frame member 32 includes an upper rib 32a that protrudes downward from a lower end 45 (indicated by a dashed line L2 in FIG. 7) of the support member 44. The upper frame member 32 includes a first support portion 46 that protrudes downward from the lower end 45 in front of the upper rib 32a. The first support portion 46 has a vertical width smaller than that of the upper rib 32a. That is, when the frame member 27 is viewed from the front, a front surface 47 of the upper rib 32a is exposed. The upper frame member 32 includes a first groove 48 between the upper rib 32a and the first support portion 46. The first groove 48 is a groove that is recessed upward and formed in the upper frame member 32. The first groove 48 is a groove that extends in the longitudinal direction of the freezer compartment door 20 and is formed in the upper frame member 32. A portion of the front surface 47 of the upper rib 32a forms a rear side surface of the first groove 48. The first groove portion 48 is a support structure into which a part of the first sliding member 50 is inserted, sandwiching a part of the first sliding member 50, and supporting the first sliding member 50 so that it can slide relatively to the upper frame member 32 (upper side surface portion 32b) when contraction in the left-right direction occurs due to cooling of the upper frame member 32. The first sliding member 50 has a flat plate shape, and the thickness of the first sliding member 50 is, for example, in the range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm. When the flat plate-shaped first sliding member 50 is sandwiched in the first groove portion 48, the rear surface 57 of the first sliding member 50 and the front surface 47 of the upper rib 32a come into contact with each other.

[0032] The upper rib 32a supports the first sliding member 50 behind the first groove portion 48. When the front panel 25 is pushed rearward from the outside, the upper rib 32a supports the front panel 25 and the first sliding member 50 from the rear, thereby suppressing movement of the front panel 25 and the first sliding member 50 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0033] The upper rib 32a is thicker toward the rear at the joint with the back surface 43. The first support portion 46 is located in front of the upper rib 32a and covers the upper end face of the front plate 25. The first support portion 46 is located behind the front surface 25a of the front plate 25.

[0034] The front panel 25 forms the front surface 20a of the freezer compartment door 20. The front panel 25 is not just a glass plate, but also has a design sheet 59 on the back surface 25b. The design sheet 59 is provided with various colors and patterns, and the colors and patterns visible through the glass plate enhance the design of the front panel 25. A hot melt adhesive is provided on the back surface of the design sheet 59.

[0035] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of the lower frame member 34 of the freezer compartment door 20 in the area C2 of FIG. The lower frame member 34 includes a lower side surface portion 34b that extends in the left-right direction and forms the lower side surface portion of the freezer compartment door 20, and a lower rib 34a that extends vertically upward from a front portion 50 of the lower side surface portion 34b, on a back surface 51 of the lower side surface portion 34b. The lower rib 34a is the portion of the lower frame member 34 above the dashed line L3 in FIG. 8. The lower frame member 34 includes a second support portion 52 that protrudes further forward than the front portion 50. A front surface 39 of the second support portion 52 corresponds to the front end of the lower frame member 34. The lower frame member 34 has a second groove 55 between the lower rib 34a and the second support portion 52. The second groove 55 is a groove recessed downward and formed in the lower frame member 34. The second groove 55 is a groove that extends in the longitudinal direction of the freezer compartment door 20 and is formed in the lower frame member 34. A part of the front surface 56 of the lower rib 34a forms the rear side surface of the second groove portion 55. The second groove portion 55 is a support structure into which a part of the second sliding member 51 is inserted, sandwiching a part of the second sliding member 51 therebetween, and supporting the second sliding member 51 so that it can slide relatively to the lower frame member 34 (lower side surface portion 34b) when contraction in the left-right direction occurs due to cooling of the lower frame member 34. The second sliding member 51 has a flat plate shape, and the thickness of the second sliding member 51 is, for example, in the range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm. When the flat plate-shaped second sliding member 51 is sandwiched in the second groove portion 55, a rear surface 58 of the second sliding member 51 and a front surface 56 of the lower rib 34 a come into contact with each other.

[0036] The lower rib 34a supports the second sliding member 51 behind the second groove portion 55. When the front panel 25 is pushed rearward from the outside, the lower rib 34a supports the front panel 25 and the second sliding member 51 from the rear, and suppresses movement of the front panel 25 and the second sliding member 51 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0037] The lower rib 34a is thicker toward the rear at the joint with the back surface 51. The second support portion 52 covers the lower end face of the front plate 25 in front of the lower rib 34a. The second support portion 52 is located behind the front surface 25a of the front plate 25.

[0038] The second support portion 52 is a member that supports the front panel 25. The vertical distance between the first support portion 46 and the second support portion 52 is greater than the vertical width of the front panel 25. This provides a margin so that the front panel 25 can be attached to the frame member 27 even if variations in the vertical width or size changes occur during the manufacturing of the front panel 25.

[0039] The structures of the left frame member 33 and the right frame member 35 are the same as the structure of the lower frame member 32 that does not have the second groove portion 55 and the second sliding member 51, and therefore will not be described.

[0040] The upper side surface portion 32b, support member 44, upper rib 32a, and first support portion 46 are integrally molded from synthetic resin to form the upper frame member 32. However, this is not limiting, and they can also be formed by assembling each as a separate part. The other members of the frame member 27, the left frame member 33, lower frame member 34, and right frame member 35, are similar to the upper frame member 32.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows the frame member 27 in a state in which a first sliding member 50 and a second sliding member 51 are attached to the frame member 27. The appropriate dimensions for the left rib 33a and the right rib 35a will now be described. The left rib 33a has a width X1 extending in the left-right direction of 10 mm to 30 mm. If the width X1 of the left rib 33a is smaller than 10 mm, the adhesive area becomes smaller when the adhesive 26 is applied, resulting in a decrease in adhesive strength, which may cause the front panel 25 to peel off from the frame member 27. On the other hand, the left rib 33a may be slightly warped. Therefore, if the width X1 of the left rib 33a is larger than 30 mm, the left rib 33a may bend due to its rigidity when the front panel 25 is pressure-bonded to the frame member 27. This may prevent sufficient surface contact between the frame member 27 and the front panel 25, resulting in a decrease in adhesive strength. Furthermore, the amount of adhesive 26 applied may increase, which may increase manufacturing costs. In other words, in the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment, by providing the left rib 33a with a width dimension X1 of 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less, it is possible to secure a sufficient adhesive area and increase the adhesive strength between the left rib 33a and the front panel 25, thereby preventing the front panel 25 from peeling off from the frame member 27. It is more preferable that the width dimension X1 of the left rib 33a is 15 mm or more and 30 mm or less. The appropriate dimensions of the right rib 35a are similar to those of the left rib 33a.

[0042] Suitable dimensions for the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 will now be described. The vertical width of first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 is also formed to have width dimension Y1 of 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less. In refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment, by providing first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 with width dimension Y1 of 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less, a sufficient adhesive area can be ensured, and the adhesive strength between first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 and front panel 25 can be increased, and the problem of front panel 25 being peeled off from frame member 27 can be prevented. It is more preferable that the width Y1 of the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 is 15 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

[0043] Adhesive 26 is applied to a front surface 60 of the first sliding member 50, a front surface 61 of the left rib 33a, a front surface 62 of the second sliding member 51, and a front surface 63 of the right rib 35a, and the front panel 25 is bonded to the frame member 27 via the adhesive 26. In this embodiment, the adhesive 26 is a hot melt adhesive. However, the adhesive is not limited to this, and double-sided tape or the like may also be used. As an example, the thickness T of the adhesive 26 is 0.2 mm or more and 0.3 mm or less. Also, as an example, the line width W of the adhesive 26 is in the range of 10 mm or more and 13 mm or less. The thickness of the adhesive 26 is the width of the adhesive 26 in the front-to-rear direction of the freezer compartment door 20. The line width of the adhesive 26 is the width of the adhesive 26 in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the nozzle that applies the adhesive 26 to each component. The line width is the vertical width of the adhesive 26 provided on the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51, and is the horizontal width of the adhesive 26 provided on the left rib 33a and the right rib 35a. However, this is merely an example, as it depends on the moving direction of the nozzle, and is not limited to this. By providing the adhesive 26 with such thickness T and line width W, the first sliding member 50, the second sliding member 51, the left rib 33a, and the right rib 35a can be sufficiently bonded to the front panel 25, and the applied adhesive 26 can be prevented from leaking out from gaps between the first sliding member 50, the second sliding member 51, the left rib 33a, and the right rib 35a and the front panel 25. In addition, the hot melt is provided at intervals of about 2 mm to 3 mm between the inner ends of the first sliding member 50, the second sliding member 51, the left rib 33a, and the right rib 35a.

[0044] For adhesive 26, it is preferable to use a urethane-based hot melt adhesive that does not melt again when heated, such as a moisture-curing type. When foam insulation 31 foams, the reaction heat can reach a maximum of 140°C. Therefore, hot melt adhesives that melt again when heated after solidifying, such as rubber-based hot melt adhesives used to secure vacuum insulation 30, melt during foaming of foam insulation 31. The foaming pressure can cause the adhesive to be extruded outward through gaps between front panel 25 and frame member 27, first sliding member 50, and second sliding member 51. Using a urethane-based hot melt adhesive can prevent adhesive 26 from being extruded outward. However, adhesive 26 is not limited to a urethane-based hot melt adhesive; other types may be used as long as they do not extrude foam insulation 31 outward from freezer compartment door 20. For example, adhesive tape can be used as adhesive 26.

[0045] A method for manufacturing the freezer compartment door 20 will be described. 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c) are diagrams showing the process of integrally molding the second sliding member 51 and the lower frame member 34 by insert molding. As shown in FIG. 9(a), the second sliding member 51 is placed in the mold 65 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the mold 65 and mold 66 are combined, and resin is injected into the space 67 formed therein to integrally mold the second sliding member 51 and the lower frame member 34 by insert molding. As shown in FIGS. 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c), a mold release agent 68 (shown by a dashed line) is applied to the surface of the second sliding member 51 that comes into contact with the lower frame member 34. The mold release agent 68 is an agent provided to prevent other components from adhering to the second sliding member 51. As shown in FIG. 9(c), after molding, the mold release agent 68 is provided between the front surface 56 of the lower rib 34a and the second sliding member 51, and between the second groove portion 55 and the second sliding member 51. Since the release agent 68 is provided between the second sliding member 51 and the lower frame member 34, the frictional force of the second sliding member 51 against the lower frame member 34 is reduced compared to when the release agent 68 is not provided, and the second sliding member 51 slides smoothly in the second groove portion 55 and on the front surface 56 of the lower frame member 34. The release agent 68 includes, for example, silicone. The first sliding member 50 and the upper frame member 32 are also integrally molded by insert molding, as are the second sliding member 51 and the lower frame member 34. A release agent 68 is provided between the front surface 47 of the upper rib 32a and the first sliding member 50, and between the first groove portion 48 and the first sliding member 50. Because the release agent 68 is provided between the first sliding member 50 and the upper frame member 32, the frictional force of the first sliding member 50 against the upper frame member 32 is reduced, and the first sliding member 50 slides smoothly in the first groove portion 45 and on the front surface 47 of the upper frame member 32.

[0046] In this way, the first sliding member 50 is inserted into the first groove portion 48 of the upper frame member 32, and the first sliding member 50 is attached to the upper frame member 32, and the second sliding member 51 is inserted into the second groove portion 55 of the lower frame member 34, and the second sliding member 51 is attached to the lower frame member 34. By integrally molding the lower frame member 34 and the second sliding member 51, the front-to-rear width of the second groove portion 55 can be made closer to the front-to-rear thickness of the second sliding member 51, compared to when they are formed separately, and wobbling of the second sliding member 51 can be suppressed. The same applies to the upper frame member 32 and the first sliding member 50.

[0047] Next, the upper frame member 32, the left frame member 33, the lower frame member 34 and the right frame member 35 are connected to form the frame member 27.

[0048] After forming the frame member 27, a hot melt adhesive 26 is applied to the front surface 60 of the first sliding member 50, the front surface 61 of the left rib 33a, the front surface 62 of the second sliding member 51, and the front surface 63 of the right rib 35a. The adhesive 26 is not applied to the upper rib 32a and the lower rib 34a, so that the upper rib 32a and the lower rib 34a are not directly bonded to the front panel 25. In other words, the adhesive 26 is applied so as not to extend beyond the left and right ends of the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51. In this manner, when the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34 contract in the left-right direction due to cooling, the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34 do not directly pull the front panel 25, making it easier for the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 to slide relative to the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34, respectively.

[0049] Hot melt adhesive is continuously applied in a frame shape to the front surface 60 of the first sliding member 50, the front surface 61 of the left rib 33a, the front surface 62 of the second sliding member 51, and the front surface 63 of the right rib 35a, and the front panel 25 is attached to the front sides of the first sliding member 50, the left rib 33a, the second sliding member 51, and the right rib 35a via the hot melt adhesive. Vacuum insulation material 30 is placed inside frame member 27, and urethane foam is injected into the gaps between frame member 27, front panel 25, and vacuum insulation material 30. A back panel 28 is attached to the rear side of frame member 27, and freezer compartment door 20 is formed.

[0050] The material of the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 is preferably one having a linear expansion coefficient close to that of the front panel 25. For example, if the front panel 25 is a glass plate with a linear expansion coefficient of 8.5 × 10-6 / °C, the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 are preferably made of a metal material such as iron, which has a linear expansion coefficient closer to that of glass than synthetic resin, and this is more effective in suppressing warping of the freezer compartment door 20 than when synthetic resin is used. However, the material of the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 is not limited to metal, and any material that satisfies the above conditions may be used.

[0051] When freezer compartment door 20 is cooled, warping occurs in freezer compartment door 20 due to the difference in linear expansion coefficient between front panel 25 and frame member 27. The reason for this will be explained below.

[0052] The amount of linear contraction of front panel 25 and frame member 27 due to cooling is calculated by multiplying the length of each member by the linear expansion coefficient of each member and the amount of temperature change. As an example, the amount of linear contraction on the left and right sides of front panel 25 and frame member 27 is calculated when freezer compartment door 20 is cooled by cold air from freezer compartment 12 from a first temperature of 25°C, which is the room temperature, to a second temperature of -5°C after cooling. The left and right widths of front panel 25 and frame member 27 are assumed to be 650 mm, the linear expansion coefficient of front panel 25, which is a glass plate, is 8.5 x 10 / °C, and the linear expansion coefficient of frame member 27, which is made of synthetic resin, is 9.0 x 10 / °C. When such freezer compartment door 20 is cooled from 25°C to -5°C, front panel 25 shrinks in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction) of refrigerator 100 by 650mm x (8.5 x 10-6 / °C) x (25°C - (-5°C)) = 0.16mm. Also, frame member 27 shrinks in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction) of refrigerator 100 by 650mm x (9.0 x 10-5 / °C) x (25°C - (-5°C)) = 1.755mm. In other words, a difference in shrinkage occurs between front panel 25 and frame member 27 of 1.755mm - 0.16mm = 1.595mm. When there is a difference in shrinkage between the front panel 25 and the frame member 27 as described above and the front panel 25 and the frame member 27 are firmly fastened together, the front panel 25 is pulled by the frame member 27 due to the longitudinal shrinkage of the frame member 27 (in this embodiment, the longitudinal shrinkage of the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34, i.e., the left-right shrinkage), causing the front panel 25 to warp.

[0053] In addition, adhesive 26 is interposed between front panel 25 and frame member 27, and the expansion and contraction of adhesive 26 reduces warping of freezer compartment door 20 due to the difference in contraction between front panel 25 and frame member 27.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if frame member 27 contracts in the left-right direction, first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 disposed between adhesive 26 and frame member 27 allow first sliding member 50 and second sliding member 51 to slide in first groove 45 and second groove 55 provided in frame member 27, respectively, thereby reducing the tension on front panel 25 by frame member 27 and alleviating warping of front panel 25. Therefore, it is possible to omit reinforcing metal members that have conventionally been provided on frame member 27 to maintain the shape of the door, and the weight of freezer compartment door 20 can be reduced.

[0055] 7 and 8 show a configuration in which the upper and lower end surfaces of front panel 25 and frame member 27 are not chamfered, but this embodiment is not limited to this. Front panel 25 may have C-shaped chamfered portions 72 and 73 at upper end 70 and lower end 71, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 . Front panel 25 having such a configuration creates a neat impression and improves the design, thereby enhancing the aesthetic value of refrigerator 100. Furthermore, by C-shaping front end 39 of second support portion 52 and forming chamfered portion 74 facing in the same direction as chamfered portion 73 and positioning chamfered portion 74 behind chamfered portion 73, the design is improved, thereby enhancing the aesthetic value of refrigerator 100. Furthermore, with such a configuration, when a user wipes off dust, condensation, and the like from front surface 20a of front panel 25, dust and water are prevented from adhering to the second support portion and are more likely to fall below freezer compartment door 20. Furthermore, by C-cutting the front panel 25 and the second support portion 52, contact with objects and the like is suppressed, and damage to the front panel 25 and the second support portion 52 is suppressed.

[0056] Embodiment 2 A freezer compartment door 201 provided in a refrigerator 200 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 12. Note that in FIG. 12, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate the same parts. In the freezer compartment door 201 according to the second embodiment, instead of the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 according to the first embodiment, a first sliding member 202 and a second sliding member 203 are provided on the left and right sides of the left-right center line of the freezer compartment door 201 on the rib 32a of the upper frame member 32, and a third sliding member 204 and a fifth sliding member 205 are attached on the left and right sides of the left-right center line of the rib 34a of the lower frame member 34. The other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0057] 3 and 4, the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 are provided over almost the entire longitudinal length of the ribs 32a of the upper frame member 32 and the ribs 34a of the lower frame member 34, but in Fig. 12, no sliding members are provided at the left-right central portion 206a of the upper rib 32a or the left-right central portion 206b of the lower rib 34a. Instead, the first sliding member 202 and the second sliding member 203 are provided on parts of the left and right sides of the upper rib 32a so as to sandwich the central portion 206a, and the third sliding member 204 and the fourth sliding member 205 are provided on parts of the left and right sides of the lower rib 34a so as to sandwich the central portion 206b. As a result, the upper rib 32a and the lower rib 34a are directly bonded to the front panel 25 with the adhesive 26 at the central portions 206a and 206b. An appropriate width of central portions 206a and 206b can be set to 20 cm, for example. The linear shrinkage of frame member 27 in the longitudinal direction at central portion 206 due to cold air is 0.491 mm when the width of central portion 206 is 20 cm, and the effect on warping is limited. Therefore, by providing such central portions 206a and 206b on upper rib 32a and lower rib 34a, reliability against peeling between frame member 27 and front panel 25 can be improved, and the number of sliding members used can be reduced compared to embodiment 1, resulting in lower costs.

[0058] Embodiment 3 A freezer compartment door 301 included in a refrigerator 300 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 13. Note that FIG. 13 illustrates the configuration of freezer compartment door 301 under the same conditions as FIG. 8, and the same reference numerals in FIG. 13 indicate the same parts as in FIG. 8. Freezer compartment door 301 according to the third embodiment is configured such that, instead of second sliding member 51 according to the first embodiment, a clip-shaped second sliding member 304 is attached to a lower rib 34a of a lower frame member 303 of a frame member 302. Furthermore, a second support portion 305 of lower frame member 303 does not have a second groove portion 55. Lower rib 34a is clamped by second sliding member 304, and is a support structure that supports second sliding member 304 slidably relative to lower frame member 303 (lower side surface portion 303b) when lower frame member 34 contracts in the left-right direction due to cooling. Although not shown, the configuration of the first sliding member and upper frame member 32 in embodiment 3 also has similar features to the second sliding member 304 and lower frame member 303. That is, the upper frame member 32 does not have the first groove portion 48, and a clip-shaped first sliding member is attached to the upper rib 32a. The upper rib 32a is a support structure that is clamped by the first sliding member and supports the first sliding member so that it can slide relatively to the upper frame member 32 (upper side surface portion 34a) when the upper frame member 32 contracts in the left-right direction due to cooling. The other configurations are the same as those in embodiment 1.

[0059] In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13 , the second sliding member 304 is clip-shaped and includes a first contact piece 308 and a second contact piece 309 that sandwich the lower rib 34a from the front and rear. The flat first contact piece 308 and the flat second contact piece 309 are connected by a curved portion 310, and at least one of the first contact piece, the second contact piece, and the curved portion is elastically deformable. Although not shown, the first sliding member also has a similar configuration to the second sliding member 304 and is attached to the upper rib 32a, sandwiching the upper rib 32a from the front and rear. The second sliding member 304 is slidable laterally relative to the lower rib 34a. In response to contraction of the frame member 302 during cooling of the freezer compartment door 301, the second sliding member 304 slides laterally relative to the lower rib 34a, thereby suppressing warping of the freezer compartment door 301 due to tension on the frame member 302. The first sliding member also has the same effect as that described above with respect to the upper rib 32a. Furthermore, since the first sliding member and the second sliding member 304 are clip-shaped, the insert molding described in the first embodiment and the first groove 48 and the second groove 55 formed in the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34 are not required, thereby simplifying the process.

[0060] The above embodiment is an example in which the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 are provided on the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34, but the configuration of the freezer compartment door 20 of the present disclosure is not limited to this. When the freezer compartment door 20 has a longitudinal direction in the up and down directions, the freezer compartment door 20 may be configured so that the first sliding member 50 and the second sliding member 51 are attached to the left frame member 33 and the right frame member 35, respectively, in order to suppress warping that occurs in the up and down direction of the front panel 25 due to cooling. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100 refrigerator, 2 box body, 3 storage space, 4 outer box, 5 inner box, 6 foam insulation material, 7 vacuum insulation material, 8 partition wall, 9 refrigerator compartment, 10 selector compartment, 12 freezer compartment, 13 vegetable compartment, 15 left refrigerator compartment door, 16 right refrigerator compartment door, 17 hinge, 18 selector compartment door, 19 ice maker compartment door, 20 freezer compartment door, 21 vegetable compartment door, 22 compressor, 23 cooler, 24 frame, 25 front panel, 26 adhesive, 27 frame member, 28 back panel, 29 space, 30 vacuum insulation material, 31 foam insulation material, 32 upper frame member, 32a upper rib, 33 left frame member, 33a left rib, 34 lower frame member, 34a lower rib, 35 right frame member, 35a right rib, 37 Handle portion, 32b upper side portion, 34b lower side portion, 41 support member, 42 front portion, 43 back surface, 44 support member, 45 lower end of support member, 46 first support portion, 47 front surface of upper rib, 48 first groove portion, 49 second support portion, 50 first sliding member, 51 second sliding member, 52 second support portion, 55 second groove portion, 56 front surface of lower rib, 57 rear surface of first sliding member, 58 rear surface of second sliding member, 59 design sheet, 60 front surface of first sliding member, 61 front surface of left rib, 62 front surface of second sliding member, 63 front surface of right rib, 65 mold, 66 mold, 67 space, 68 mold release agent

Claims

1. a box body having a storage chamber therein with an opening at the front; a door that opens and closes the opening at the front of the box body, The door includes a front panel that forms the front surface of the door, a pair of short-side frame members that are provided along the short direction of the front panel, and a pair of long-side frame members that are provided along the long direction of the front panel, the short-side frame member includes a pair of first ribs that fix the front panel from a rear surface along the short-side direction, The longitudinal side frame member includes a sliding member that fixes the front panel from a rear surface and is slidable in the longitudinal direction. refrigerator.

2. the longitudinal side frame member has a side surface portion provided behind the front panel along the longitudinal direction, a second rib on a rear surface of the side surface portion, and a groove portion located in front of the second rib, The groove portion sandwiches a part of the sliding member and supports the sliding member so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. the longitudinal side frame member has a side surface portion provided behind the front panel along the longitudinal direction, and a second rib on a rear surface of the side surface portion, the sliding member is a clip type, and is attached to the side surface portion while clamping the second rib from the front and rear, the second rib supports the sliding member so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction; The refrigerator according to claim 1.

4. the sliding member is a first sliding member, the longitudinal side frame member has the first sliding member and the second sliding member on both sides of the center of the side surface portion in the longitudinal direction, the groove portion sandwiches a part of the second sliding member and supports the second sliding member slidably in the longitudinal direction; The refrigerator according to claim 2.

5. the sliding member is provided along a front surface of the second rib, before the second rib; a release agent is provided between the front surface of the second rib, the groove portion, and the sliding member; The refrigerator according to claim 2.

6. the front panel is a glass panel; The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the short-side frame members and the long-side frame members are formed of a synthetic resin.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding members and the longitudinal side frame members are integrally formed by insert molding.

8. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the front ends of the longitudinal side frame members are located rearward of the front surface of the front panel.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding member is fixed to the front panel with a hot melt adhesive.

Images