refrigerator

Abstract

This refrigerator comprises: a box body that has an opening in the front surface and has therein a storage space; and a door that has a handle part on a first side surface which is one side surface in the left-right direction, is attached to the box body on the side opposite to the first side surface, and opens and closes the opening. The door has a front outer plate, a rear outer plate, a connection component that connects the front outer plate and the rear outer plate in the front-rear direction, and an upper cap that constitutes the upper surface of the door. The front outer plate has a front plate, a front folding part, and a first flange provided at the upper end of the front folding part. The rear outer plate has a rear plate, a rear folding part, and a second flange provided at the upper end of the rear folding part. The upper cap has an upper wall, an outer peripheral wall, a first flange housing part provided on the outer peripheral wall and housing the first flange, and a second flange housing part provided on the outer peripheral wall and housing the second flange. The handle part is formed by the front folding part, a portion of the connection component, and the rear folding part, and has a shape recessed toward a second side surface side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and particularly to a refrigerator having a handle portion on a door.

Background Art

[0002] Conventional refrigerators are configured such that a storage chamber is formed inside a box body, and the storage chamber is opened and closed by a door corresponding to the storage chamber. For example, the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 includes a door that forms a handle portion on the side surface by a front outer plate and a rear outer plate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The door of the refrigerator of Patent Document 1 has a handle convex portion for opening and closing the door on the front outer plate that constitutes most of the front surface of the door, and the rear outer plate formed on the back surface of the handle convex portion has an insertion concave portion and a back convex portion for inserting a hand. The front outer plate and the rear outer plate are connected by a retainer, and a handle portion is formed on the side surface side of the door. However, in the door of the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, since the upper cap provided on the door sandwiches the upper end of the front outer plate in the front and rear directions, the vertical width of the upper cap becomes thick, and the front surface of the upper cap protrudes forward from the front outer plate, which has affected the design of the refrigerator.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a refrigerator capable of improving the design of a door provided with a handle portion on the side surface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The refrigerator according to this disclosure comprises a box body having an opening at the front and a storage space inside, and a door that has a handle on a first side which is one side in the left-right direction, and is attached to the box body on a second side which is the side opposite to the first side, and opens and closes the opening, the door comprising a front outer panel, a rear outer panel provided on the rear side of the front outer panel, a connecting part that connects the front outer panel and the rear outer panel in the front-rear direction and constitutes at least a part of the first side of the door, and an upper cap provided on the front outer panel, the rear outer panel and the connecting part and constitutes the upper surface of the door, the front outer panel comprising a front panel which constitutes at least a part of the front surface of the door, a front folded portion which is folded back from the end of the first side of the front panel toward the second side at the rear of the front panel, and a part provided at the upper end of the front folded portion and the front folded portion and front The rear outer panel has a first flange extending toward an area enclosed by the panel and the back outer panel, the rear outer panel having a back panel that constitutes at least a part of the back of the door, a rear folded portion that is folded back from the first side end of the back panel toward the second side at the front of the back panel, and a second flange provided at the upper end of the rear folded portion that extends toward an area enclosed by the rear folded portion and the back panel, the upper cap has an upper wall, an outer wall extending downward from the outer periphery of the upper wall, a groove-shaped first flange housing portion provided in the outer wall that accommodates the first flange, and a groove-shaped second flange housing portion provided in the outer wall that accommodates the second flange, the handle portion is formed by a front folded portion, a part of a connecting component, and a rear folded portion, and has a shape that is recessed toward the second side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the refrigerator door of this disclosure, the front outer panel and the rear outer panel are connected by a connecting component at a first side, which is one side in the left-right direction. A handle is formed in a recessed shape on the first side of the door by the front outer panel, the rear outer panel and the connecting component. The front outer panel and the rear outer panel each have flanges, and are connected to the top cap by fitting their respective flanges into flange housings provided on the top cap. As a result, a handle can be provided on the side of the door without affecting the design, thereby improving the design of the door. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the exterior of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the exterior appearance of the refrigerator door according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerator door according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged view of region A in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged front perspective view of area A in Figure 3. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged front perspective view of area B in Figure 3. [Figure 7] This is a bottom view of the top cap of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged view of region C in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is an enlarged view of region D in Figure 7. [Figure 10] This is a top view of the door of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the EE line location in Figure 10. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of the FF line position in Figure 11. [Figure 13] This is a front view of the refrigerator door according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view of the GG line position in Figure 13. [Figure 15] This is an enlarged view of region J in Figure 14. [Figure 16] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line HH. [Figure 17] This is a cross-sectional view taken at the position of line II in Figure 13. [Figure 18] This is an exploded perspective view of the upper part of one side of the door of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 19] This is a disassembled front perspective view of the upper part of one side of the refrigerator door according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator door according to Embodiment 2 at the position of line GG in Figure 13, and is an enlarged view of the handle portion.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, in the following drawings including FIG. 1, those with the same reference numerals are the same or corresponding ones, and it is assumed that they are common throughout the full text of the embodiments described below. Also, in each embodiment, parts that are the same as or equivalent to those described in the preceding embodiment may be given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted. And the form of the components shown throughout the specification is merely an example and is not limited to the form described in the specification. Further, the following embodiments can be partially combined with each other as long as there is no problem in the combination, even if not particularly specified.

[0010] Note that in each drawing, the relative dimensional relationship or shape of each component may be different from the actual one. Also, the vertical direction of the refrigerator 100 may be referred to as the height direction. The left - right direction of the refrigerator 100 may be referred to as the width direction. The front - rear direction of the refrigerator 100 may be referred to as the depth direction.

[0011] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. The refrigerator 100 has an opening on the front surface, and includes a box body 1 having a refrigerating chamber 2, a vegetable chamber 3, and a freezing chamber 4 which are storage spaces inside, and a door 10 attached to the box body 1 for opening and closing the opening. The refrigerating chamber 2 is opened and closed by the door 10. The door 10 has a handle portion 50 on the left - hand side surface in the left - right direction and a second handle portion 51 on the upper surface. The door 10 is of a hinge type, and the upper and lower parts on the right side are fixed to the box body 1 by hinges 5, and rotates about the hinges 5 to open and close the refrigerating chamber 2. Both the door 20 for opening and closing the vegetable chamber 3 and the door 30 for opening and closing the freezing chamber 4 are drawer - type doors. By moving the drawer - type doors 20 and 30 back and forth, the vegetable chamber 3 and the freezing chamber 4 can be opened and closed.

[0012] Figure 1 shows an example in which the box body 1 has a refrigerator compartment 2, a vegetable compartment 3, and a freezer compartment 4 as storage spaces. However, the refrigerator 100 may have only one refrigerator compartment 2 that is opened and closed by a door 10. Alternatively, the storage space may have two or more refrigerator compartments 2, and multiple refrigerator compartments 2 may be opened and closed by multiple hinged doors 10.

[0013] This disclosure describes a configuration in which, when viewed from the front, the door 10 has a handle 50 on the left side and a hinge 5 on the right side. However, in the refrigerator 100 of this disclosure, the door 10 can have a symmetrical configuration. For this reason, the handle 50 may be provided on the right side of the door and the hinge 5 on the left side.

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the door 10 of a refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. The door 10 comprises a front outer panel 110, a rear outer panel 120, a connecting part 130, an upper cap 140, a lower cap 150, and an inner panel 160. The front outer panel 110 constitutes the front surface of the door 10. The rear outer panel 120 and the inner panel 160 are located on the rear side of the front outer panel 110 and constitute the rear surface of the door 10. The connecting part 130 is provided between the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 in the front-rear direction and connects the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 in the front-rear direction. The connecting part 130 is made of resin and constitutes at least a part of the left side surface of the door 10. A handle portion 50 is formed on the left side surface of the door 10 by the front outer panel 110, the connecting part 130, and the rear outer panel 120. The handle portion 50 has a shape in which a recess that is indented towards the right extends vertically. Details of the handle portion 50 will be described later.

[0015] The upper cap 140 is provided on the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, and the connecting part 130, and is a member that covers the upper ends of these. The upper cap 140 has a second handle portion 51 formed thereon. The second handle portion 51 has a downward concave shape in which a part of the upper surface of the upper cap 140 is recessed downward and extends in the left-right direction. The lower cap 150 is provided below the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, and the connecting part 130. The lower cap 150 has a third handle portion 52 formed thereon. The third handle portion 52 has an upward concave shape in which a part of the bottom surface of the lower cap 150 is recessed upward and extends in the left-right direction. The concave portion of the handle portion 50, the concave portion of the second handle portion 51, and the concave portion of the third handle portion 52 continuously form a series of handles.

[0016] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. Note that the inner panel 160 is not shown in Figure 3.

[0017] The door 10 has a vertically symmetrical configuration, and the upper cap 140 and lower cap 150 also have a vertically symmetrical configuration. For this reason, in the following description, the configuration of the upper cap 140 and the second handle portion 51 will be described, and the description of the lower cap 150 and the third handle portion 52 corresponding to the second handle portion 51 will be omitted.

[0018] The front outer panel 110 has a front panel 110a, a second front panel 110b, a third front panel 110c, a fourth front panel 110d, a fifth front panel 110e, and a first flange 115. The front panel 110a constitutes at least a portion of the front surface of the door 10. The second front panel 110b extends from the left end of the front panel 110a toward the rear and forms a portion of the left side surface of the door 10. The third front panel 110c extends from the rear end of the second front panel 110b toward the right side surface. The fourth front panel 110d extends from the right end of the front panel 110a toward the rear and forms the right side surface of the door 10. The fifth front panel 110e extends from the rear end of the fourth front panel 110d toward the left side surface.

[0019] The second front panel 110b and the third front panel 110c constitute the front folded-over section 110A. The front folded-over section 110A has a shape that is folded back from the left end of the front panel 110a toward the right side at the rear of the front panel 110a. The front folded-over section 110A constitutes a part of the handle section 50.

[0020] A first flange 115 is provided at the upper end of the front outer panel 110. At the upper end of the front folded portion 110A, the first flange 115 extends toward the area enclosed by the front folded portion 110A and the front panel 110a. Details of the first flange 115 will be described later.

[0021] The rear outer panel 120 has a rear panel 120a, a second rear panel 120b, a third rear panel 120c, and a second flange 125. The rear panel 120a is a panel that extends parallel to the front panel 110a and in this embodiment constitutes at least a part of the rear of the door 10. The second rear panel 120b extends from the left end of the rear panel 120a toward the front and forms a part of the left side of the door 10. The third rear panel 120c extends from the front end of the second rear panel 120b toward the right side. The second rear panel 120b and the third rear panel 120c constitute the rear folded portion 120A. The rear folded portion 120A has a shape that is folded back from the left end of the rear panel 120a toward the right side in front of the rear panel 120a. The rear folded portion 120A constitutes a part of the handle portion 50.

[0022] A second flange 125 is provided at the upper end of the rear outer panel 120. The second flange 125 extends toward the area enclosed by the rear folded portion 120A and the rear panel 120a. Details of the second flange 125 will be described later.

[0023] The connecting component 130 includes a connecting plate 130a, a second connecting plate 130b, a third connecting plate 130c, a first fixing part 131, and a second fixing part 132. The connecting plate 130a extends in the front-rear and up-down directions and forms part of the handgrip 50. The second connecting plate 130b extends from the front end of the connecting plate 130a toward the right side. The third connecting plate 130c extends from the rear end of the connecting plate 130a toward the right side.

[0024] The first fixing part 131 is provided on the second connecting plate 130b, and the second fixing part 132 is provided on the third connecting plate 130c. Details of the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 will be described later.

[0025] The upper cap 140 has an upper wall 140a and an outer peripheral wall 140b. The upper wall 140a forms the upper surface of the door 10. The second handle portion 51 is provided on a part of the upper wall 140a and is formed by a portion that is recessed downward and extends in the left-right direction. The outer peripheral wall 140b extends downward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper wall 140a. The upper cap 140 has a bifurcated left end and, in a plan view, has a concave shape that is recessed to the right.

[0026] Next, the connections of the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, the connecting parts 130, and the upper cap 140 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of area A in Figure 3. Figure 5 is an enlarged front perspective view of area A in Figure 3. Figure 6 is an enlarged front perspective view of area B in Figure 3.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first flange 115 of the front outer panel 110 has a first flange portion 115a provided at the upper end of the front panel 110a and extending toward the rear, a second flange portion 115b provided at the upper end of the second front panel 110b and extending toward the right side, and a third flange portion 115c provided at the upper end of the third front panel 110c and extending toward the front. The first flange 115 further has a fourth flange portion 115d provided at the upper end of the fourth front panel 110d and extending toward the left side, as shown in Figure 6. The first flange portion 115a, the second flange portion 115b, the third flange portion 115c, and the fourth flange portion 115d are connected in such a way that they surround the area enclosed by the front plate 110a, the second front plate 110b, the third front plate 110c, the fourth front plate 110d, and the fifth front plate 110e.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first flange portion 115a is provided at the upper end of the front plate 110a, extending from the left end to the right end. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the second flange portion 115b is provided at the upper end of the second front plate 110b, extending from the front end to the rear end.

[0029] The third flange portion 115c extends from the left end to the right end at the upper end of the third front plate 110c, but is not provided at the upper end of the right end 111. A notch 116, described later, is provided at the upper end of the third front plate 110c, and the third flange portion 115c is provided between the left end and the notch 116 at the upper end of the third front plate 110c.

[0030] As shown in Figure 6, the fourth flange portion 115d is provided at the upper end of the fourth front plate 110d, extending from the front end to the rear end. The upper end of the fifth front plate 110e is provided with a notch 117, which will be described later, but the first flange 115 is not provided there.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the second flange 125 of the rear outer panel 120 has a first flange portion 125a provided at the upper end of the second rear panel 120b and extending toward the right side, and a second flange portion 125b provided at the upper end of the third rear panel 120c and extending toward the rear. The first flange portion 125a is provided from the front end to the rear end of the second rear panel 120b. The second flange portion 125b extends from the left end to the right end at the upper end of the third rear panel 120c, but is not provided at the upper end of the right end 121. A notch 126, which will be described later, is provided at the upper end of the third rear panel 120c, and the second flange portion 125b is provided between the left end and the notch 126 at the upper end of the third rear panel 120c. The first flange portion 125a and the second flange portion 125b are connected so as to surround the area enclosed by the back plate 120a, the second back plate 120b, and the third back plate 120c.

[0032] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first fixing portion 131 of the connecting component 130 is formed by folding the right end of the second connecting plate 130b back to the left side, and fixes the front outer plate 110 to the connecting component 130. The first fixing portion 131 overlaps with a part of the outer peripheral surface on the front side of the second connecting plate 130b. The second fixing portion 132 of the connecting component 130 is formed by folding the right end of the third connecting plate 130c back to the left side, and fixes the rear outer plate 120 to the connecting component 130. The second fixing portion 132 overlaps with a part of the outer peripheral surface on the rear side of the third connecting plate 130c. The connecting component 130, the first fixing portion 131, and the second fixing portion 132 are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the upper end surfaces of the connecting plate 130a, the second connecting plate 130b, the third connecting plate 10c, the first fixing part 131, and the second fixing part 132 are collectively formed as the upper end surface 133 of the connecting component 130.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outer peripheral wall 140b of the upper cap 140 is provided with a horizontally extending groove-shaped flange housing portion 142. The upper cap 140 is bifurcated at its left end, having a first projection 143 located on the front side and a second projection 144 located on the rear side. The flange housing portion 142 has a groove-shaped first flange housing portion 142a provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b of the first projection 143, and a groove-shaped second flange housing portion 142b provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b of the second projection 144. The first flange housing portion 142a provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b of the first projection 143 extends to the right end.

[0034] The second flange housing portion 142b may be provided on the left and front sides of the outer peripheral wall 140b of the second projection portion 144. The second flange housing portion 142b does not need to be provided on the rear side of the outer peripheral wall 140b.

[0035] As shown by the dashed arrows in Figure 4, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are connected to the connecting component 130. The end 111 of the third front panel 110c is sandwiched between the first fixing part 131 and the second connecting plate 130b of the connecting component 130. The end 121 of the third rear panel 120c is sandwiched between the second fixing part 132 and the third connecting plate 130c of the connecting component 130. Thus, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are connected by the connecting component 130.

[0036] The first flange 115 of the front outer panel 110 is housed in the first flange housing portion 142a of the upper cap 140. More specifically, the first flange portion 115a of the front outer panel 110 is inserted into the first flange housing portion 142a provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b on the front side of the upper cap 140. The second flange portion 115b and the third flange portion 115c of the front outer panel 110 are inserted into the first flange housing portion 142a provided on the first projection portion 143 of the upper cap 140. The fourth flange portion 115d of the front outer panel 110 is inserted into the first flange housing portion 142a provided on the right outer peripheral wall 140b.

[0037] The second flange 125 of the rear outer panel 120 is housed in the second flange housing portion 142b of the upper cap 140. More specifically, the first flange portion 125a and the second flange portion 125b of the rear outer panel 120 are inserted into the second flange housing portion 142b provided on the left side and front side of the second projection portion 144 of the upper cap 140.

[0038] The upper cap 140 is connected to the front outer panel 110, connecting part 130, and rear outer panel 120, which are connected to each other. The first flange 115 of the front outer panel 110 is housed in the first flange housing 142a of the upper cap 140, and the second flange 125 of the rear outer panel 120 is housed in the second flange housing 142b. The upper end surface 133 of the connecting part 130 is connected to the lower surface of the concave upper wall 140a that constitutes the second handle portion 51 of the upper cap 140 so as to be continuous with the lower surface.

[0039] Next, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, the notches 116 and 117 of the front outer panel 110, and the notches 126 and 127 of the rear outer panel 120 will be described. Each notch is located in a place that cannot be seen from the outside of the assembled door 10 and cannot be touched by the user.

[0040] The notch 116 is provided at the upper end of the third front panel 110c, and the notch 117 is provided at the upper end of the fifth front panel 110e, and both have a recessed shape from top to bottom. In the vertical direction, the notch 116 is located below the second handle portion 51 of the upper cap 140. The notch 117 is located to the right of the fifth front panel 110e.

[0041] The notch 126 is provided at the upper end of the third back panel 120c, and the notch 127 is provided at the upper end of the back panel 120a, and has a recessed shape from top to bottom. The notch 126 is located below the second handle portion 51 of the upper cap 140. The notch 127 is located on the left side of the back panel 120a.

[0042] In Figures 5 and 6, the lengths of notches 117 and 127 in the left-right direction are longer than the lengths of the other notches in the left-right direction, but the left-right length and height of each notch are not particularly limited. Each notch should be provided in a shape that is recessed downwards at the upper ends of the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120.

[0043] Next, the claws that engage with the notches 116, 117, 126, and 127 (see Figures 5 and 6) will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 12. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the top cap 140 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 8 is an enlarged view of area C in Figure 7. In Figure 8, the back of the paper is the top and the front of the paper is the bottom. Figure 9 is an enlarged view of area D in Figure 7. Figure 10 is a top view of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the EE line position in Figure 10. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the FF line position in Figure 11.

[0044] In region C of Figure 7, as shown in Figure 8, a first claw portion 145a is provided on the lower surface of the first projection 143 of the upper cap 140, and second claw portions 146a and 146b are provided on the lower surface of the second projection 144. Also, in region D of Figure 7, as shown in Figure 9, a first claw portion 145b is provided on the lower surface of the right rear end of the upper cap 140. The first claw portions 145a, 145b and the second claw portions 146a and 146b protrude downward.

[0045] At the EE line position in Figure 10, the second claw portion 146a is engaged with the notch 126 of the third back plate 120c. As shown in Figure 11, the second claw portion 146a and the notch 126 are convex downwards, and the second claw portion 146a is fitted into the notch 126. In addition, as shown in Figure 12, the second claw portion 146a also protrudes toward the back. For this reason, the second claw portion 146a is engaged with the notch 126.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the first claw portion 145a has the same shape as the second claw portion 146a and protrudes toward the front. The first claw portion 145a is engaged with the notch 116 of the third front plate 110c. Although not shown, the first claw portion 145b is engaged with the notch 117 (see Figure 6) of the fifth front plate 110e, and the second claw portion 146b is engaged with the notch 127 (see Figure 5) of the back plate 120a.

[0047] In this disclosure, the claw portion that engages with a notch provided in the front outer panel 110 is referred to as the first claw portion 145, and the claw portion that engages with a notch provided in the rear outer panel 120 is referred to as the second claw portion 146. The length in the left-right direction, the height of the convex shape, and the length in the front-rear direction of the first claw portion 145 and the second claw portion 146 are not particularly limited, as long as each claw portion engages with the corresponding notch. Furthermore, if there is no particular need to distinguish between the first claw portion 145a and the first claw portion 145b, they are referred to as the first claw portion 145, and if there is no particular need to distinguish between the second claw portion 146a and the second claw portion 146b, they are referred to as the second claw portion 146. The claw portions and notches may be provided as needed, and their number is not particularly limited.

[0048] The front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 tend to spread outward due to springback after being assembled as the refrigerator 100. However, the first claw portion 145a engages with the notch 116, which prevents the third front panel 110c and the top cap 140 from shifting laterally. Also, the first claw portion 145b engages with the notch 117, which prevents the fifth front panel 110e and the top cap 140 from shifting laterally. Furthermore, the second claw portion 146a engages with the notch 126, which prevents the third rear panel 120c and the top cap 140 from shifting laterally. In addition, the second claw portion 146b engages with the notch 127, which prevents the rear panel 120a and the top cap 140 from shifting laterally. In this way, the upper cap 140, the front outer panel 110, and the rear outer panel 120 are fixed in place so that they do not shift in the left-right direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, a cover portion 147 is provided on the lower end surface 148 of the second handle portion 51 of the upper cap 140. The cover portion 147 is provided on the lower end surface of the left end of the second handle portion 51 and makes surface contact with the upper end surface of the connecting plate 130a of the connecting component 130. Also, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the area surrounded by the upper cap 140, the front outer panel 110, and the rear outer panel 120 is filled with foamed insulation material 17, which will be described later. If the connecting component 130 is a resin part formed by extrusion molding, the upper and lower ends of the connecting component 130 formed by cutting may become sharp, requiring end-face treatment. Even in such cases, by covering the ends from the outside with the cover portion 147, it is possible to prevent fingers or other objects from coming into contact with the ends of the connecting component 130 when the user uses the door 10.

[0050] Next, the connecting component 130 and the foamed insulation material 17 will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 15. Figure 13 is a front view of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. Note that Figure 13 is a diagram intended to facilitate understanding which cross-sections of the door 10 are shown in Figures 14 to 17. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line GG in Figure 13. Figure 15 is an enlarged view of region J in Figure 14. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line HH in Figure 13. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line II in Figure 13.

[0051] As shown in Figure 14, the inside of the door 10 is filled with foamed insulation material 17. The foamed insulation material 17 is, for example, urethane. The second connecting plate 130b, the third connecting plate 130c, the first fixing part 131, and the second fixing part 132 of the connecting component 130 are embedded in the foamed insulation material 17. In addition, a part of the third front plate 110c of the front outer plate 110, which is sandwiched between the first fixing part 131 and the second connecting plate 130b of the connecting component 130, and a part of the third back plate 120c of the back outer plate 120, which is sandwiched between the second fixing part 132 and the third connecting plate 130c of the connecting component 130, are also embedded in the foamed insulation material 17.

[0052] As shown in Figure 15, the tip of the first fixing portion 131 of the connecting part 130 is provided with a clamping piece 131a that contacts the front outer peripheral surface of the second connecting plate 130b. The first fixing portion 131 is also provided with a pressing portion 131b that protrudes toward the second connecting plate 130b between the clamping piece 131a and the folded portion 131c. A gap is formed between the pressing portion 131b and the second connecting plate 130b.

[0053] The right end 111 of the third front panel 110c is inserted and clamped between the outer circumferential surface of the second connecting panel 130b and the clamping piece 131a, and between the outer circumferential surface of the second connecting panel 130b and the pressing portion 131b. Since the end 111 is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the second connecting panel 130b by the clamping piece 131a, it is less likely to shift in the left-right and front-back directions. In addition, in the gap between the pressing portion 131b and the second connecting panel 130b, the pressing portion 131b prevents the end 111 from wobbling back and forth. By fixing the end 111 of the third front panel 110c with the clamping piece 131a and the pressing portion 131b of the first fixing portion 131 in this way, it is possible to prevent the front outer panel 110 from moving back and forth or left and right, or from wobbling.

[0054] As shown in Figure 15, the tip of the second fixing portion 132 of the connecting part 130 is provided with a clamping piece 132a that contacts the outer peripheral surface on the back side of the third connecting plate 130c. The second fixing portion 132 is also provided with a pressing portion 132b that protrudes toward the third connecting plate 130c between the clamping piece 132a and the folded portion 132c. A gap is formed between the pressing portion 132b and the third connecting plate 130c.

[0055] The right end 121 of the third back panel 120c is inserted and clamped between the outer surface of the third connecting panel 130c and the clamping piece 132a, and between the outer surface of the third connecting panel 130c and the pressing portion 132b. Since the end 121 is pressed against the outer surface of the third connecting panel 130c by the clamping piece 132a, it is less likely to shift in the left-right and front-back directions. In addition, in the gap between the pressing portion 132b and the third connecting panel 130c, the pressing portion 132b prevents the end 121 from wobbling back and forth. By fixing the end 121 of the third back panel 120c with the clamping piece 132a and the pressing portion 132b of the second fixing portion 132 in this way, it is possible to prevent the back outer panel 120 from moving back and forth or left and right, or from wobbling.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, the lengths of the second connecting plate 130b and the third connecting plate 130c in the left-right direction are shorter than the length of the connecting plate 130a in the front-rear direction, but longer than the lengths of the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the end 111 of the third front plate 110c can be inserted between the clamping piece 131a of the first fixing part 131 and the third front plate 110c using the second connecting plate 130b as a guide. Also, the end 121 of the third back plate 120c can be inserted between the clamping piece 132a of the second fixing part 132 and the third back plate 120c using the third connecting plate 130c as a guide.

[0057] Next, the arrangement of the upper cap 140 and the front panel 110a will be described with reference to Figures 13, 16, and 17. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line HH in Figure 13. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view at the position of line II in Figure 12.

[0058] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the first flange portion 115a of the front panel 110a is housed in the first flange housing portion 142a of the upper cap 140, so that no irregularities are formed on the front surface of the door 10.

[0059] When assembling the door 10, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are connected by the connecting parts 130, and then the upper cap 140 and the lower cap 150 are attached. Alternatively, vacuum insulation material may be installed inside the door 10 before injecting the foam insulation material 17. Also, vacuum insulation material does not need to be installed according to the temperature difference between the set temperature of the storage space and the outside air temperature. Furthermore, the foam insulation material 17 may be injected after connecting the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, the connecting parts 130, the upper cap 140, and the lower cap 150. In this case, the inner panel 160 should be attached to the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, the upper cap 140, and the lower cap 150 after the foam insulation material 17 has been injected.

[0060] The following describes the effects of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1. The refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 1 comprises a box body 1 having an opening on the front and a storage space inside, and a door 10 that opens and closes the opening and has a handle portion 50 on a first side which is one side in the left-right direction, and is attached to the box body 1 on a second side which is the side opposite to the first side. The door 10 comprises a front outer panel 110, a rear outer panel 120 provided on the rear side of the front outer panel 110, a connecting part 130 that connects the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 in the front-rear direction and constitutes at least a part of the first side of the door 10, and an upper cap 140 provided on the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, and the connecting part 130 and constitutes the upper surface of the door 10. The front outer panel 110 has a front plate 110a that constitutes at least a part of the front of the door 10, a front folded portion 110A that is folded back from the first side end of the front plate 110a toward the second side at the rear of the front plate 110a, and a first flange 115 provided at the upper end of the front folded portion 110A and extending toward the area enclosed by the front folded portion 110A and the front plate 110a. The rear outer panel 120 has a rear plate 120a that constitutes at least a part of the rear of the door 10, a rear folded portion 120A that is folded back from the first side end of the rear plate 120a toward the second side at the front of the rear plate 120a, and a second flange 125 provided at the upper end of the rear folded portion 120A and extending toward the area enclosed by the rear folded portion 120A and the rear plate 120a. The upper cap 140 has an upper wall 140a, an outer peripheral wall 140b extending downward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper wall 140a, a groove-shaped first flange housing portion 142a provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b that accommodates the first flange 115, and a groove-shaped second flange housing portion 142b provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b that accommodates the second flange 125. The handle portion 50 is formed by a front folded portion 110A, a part of the connecting component 130, and a rear folded portion 120A, and has a shape that is recessed toward the second side.

[0061] According to the above configuration, a recessed handle portion 50 is formed on the first side of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 by the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, and the connecting part 130. Therefore, the user can place their hand on the first side of the door 10 and open the door 10. Thus, the convenience of the refrigerator 100 is improved.

[0062] Furthermore, the front outer panel 110 is connected to the upper cap 140 by the first flange 115 being housed in the first flange housing 142a, and the rear outer panel 120 is connected to the upper cap 140 by the second flange 125 being housed in the second flange housing 142b. Since the first flange 115 is inserted into the outer peripheral wall 140b of the upper cap 140, the vertical dimension of the upper cap 140 that is exposed to the outside can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the upper cap 140 covers the upper end of the front outer panel 110. As a result, the upper cap 140 becomes less conspicuous in the appearance of the door 10, and the upper cap 140 has less impact on the design. In addition, since each flange is housed in its respective flange housing, the connection between the front outer panel 110 and the upper cap 140, and the connection between the rear outer panel 120 and the upper cap 140 are strengthened.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front outer panel 110 having a front folded portion 110A and the rear outer panel 120 having a rear folded portion 120A are connected by a connecting component 130, which is a separate component. When flange portions are provided on the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120, bending the flange in the opposite direction to the direction in which it extends may cause the flange to tear, which can lead to leakage of the foamed insulation material. In this embodiment, by connecting the front folded portion 110A and the rear folded portion 120A with a connecting component 130, the handle portion 50 can be constructed without requiring bending in the direction in which the flange may tear. Therefore, it becomes possible to connect the front outer panel 110 and the upper cap 140 with a flange that suppresses the possibility of leakage of the foamed insulation material 17, and the design of the door 10 with a handle portion 50 on the side can be improved.

[0064] Furthermore, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to this embodiment has a connecting component 130 which includes a first fixing part 131 fixed to the front outer panel 110, a second fixing part 132 fixed to the rear outer panel 120, and a connecting plate 130a provided between the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132, extending in the front-rear and up-down directions of the door 10 and forming part of the handle 50. Therefore, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are firmly fixed to the connecting component 130 by the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132.

[0065] Furthermore, the first fixing portion 131 of the connecting component 130 is provided on the second connecting plate 130b of the connecting component 130, and sandwiches the third front plate 110c between itself and the second connecting plate 130b. Therefore, the third front plate 110c can be firmly sandwiched between the second connecting plate 130b and the first fixing portion 131. Also, the second fixing portion 132 of the connecting component 130 is provided on the third connecting plate 130c of the connecting component 130, and sandwiches the third back plate 120c between itself and the third connecting plate 130c. Therefore, the third back plate 120c can be firmly sandwiched between the second connecting plate 130b and the first fixing portion 131.

[0066] Furthermore, the first fixing portion 131 of the connecting component 130 is formed by folding back from the second side end of the second connecting plate 130b to the first side. Similarly, the second fixing portion 132 of the connecting component 130 is formed by folding back from the second side end of the third connecting plate 130c to the first side. As a result, there is no need to manufacture and connect the connecting component 130, the first fixing portion 131, and the second fixing portion 132 as separate parts, thus simplifying the manufacturing process of the refrigerator 100.

[0067] Furthermore, in the refrigerator door 10 of this embodiment, the connecting part 130 is made of resin, and the upper end surface 133 of the connecting part 130 is in surface contact with the lower end surface 148 of the upper cap 140. As a result, the connecting part 130 and the upper cap 140 are connected flush, which helps to suppress any impact on the design of the door 10.

[0068] Furthermore, since the connecting part 130 is made of resin, there is a low risk of the end of the connecting part 130 injuring the user. Therefore, there is no need to cover the end of the connecting part 130 with a cover to prevent user injury, and the manufacturing process of the refrigerator 100 can be simplified. Also, since there is no need to cover the end of the connecting part 130 with a cover, the upper end surface 133 of the connecting part 130 and the lower end surface 148 of the upper cap 140 can be directly connected by surface contact. Since no irregularities are created in the area where the connecting part 130 and the upper cap 140 come into contact, it is possible to suppress any impact on the design of the door 10. In addition, since the connecting part 130 is made of resin, it is easy to correct variations in the dimensions of the connecting part 130. Therefore, it is possible to easily control the dimensions of the door 10.

[0069] Furthermore, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to this embodiment has an upper cap 140 which has a first claw portion 145 that protrudes downward and a second claw portion 146 that protrudes downward. The front outer panel 110 has recessed notches 116 and 117 in the portion where the first flange 115 at the upper end is not provided, into which the first claw portions 145a and 145b are locked. The rear outer panel 120 has recessed notches 126 and 127 in the portion where the second flange 125 at the upper end is not provided, into which the second claw portions 146a and 146b are locked.

[0070] According to the above configuration, with the first flange 115 housed in the first flange housing 142a of the upper cap 140 and the front outer panel 110, the first claw portion 145a is locked into the notch 116 and the first claw portion 145b is locked into the notch 117. This prevents the front outer panel 110 from moving in the front-rear and left-right directions. Furthermore, with the second flange 125 housed in the second flange housing 142b of the upper cap 140 and the rear outer panel 120, the second claw portion 146a is locked into the notch 126 and the second claw portion 146b is locked into the notch 127. This prevents the rear outer panel 120 from moving in the front-rear and left-right directions. Therefore, the possibility of the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 coming off the top cap 140 during the assembly of the door 10 is suppressed, improving the manufacturing efficiency of the refrigerator 100. In addition, since doors 10 of the same quality can be consistently assembled with the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 securely connected to the top cap 140, variations in the quality of the refrigerator 100 can be suppressed.

[0071] Furthermore, the notches 116 in the third front panel 110c, 117 in the fifth front panel 110e, 127 in the back panel 120a, and 126 in the third back panel 120c are all located in places that the user cannot touch to prevent injury. This improves the safety of the refrigerator 100.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 has the first fixing portion 131 and the second fixing portion 132 of the connecting component 130 embedded in the foamed insulation material 17 filled between the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120. With this configuration, the connection portion between the front outer panel 110 and the connecting component 130, and the connection portion between the rear outer panel 120 and the connecting component 130 are not visible from the outside of the door 10, thus improving the design of the door 10. The connection portion between the front outer panel 110 and the connecting component 130 is the second connecting plate 130b, the first fixing portion 131, and the end portion 111 of the third front panel 110c sandwiched between the second connecting plate 130b and the first fixing portion 131 of the connecting component 130. Furthermore, the connection between the rear outer panel 120 and the connecting component 130 is the third connecting plate 130c of the connecting component 130, the second fixing portion 132, and the end portion 121 of the third rear panel 120c which is sandwiched between the third connecting plate 130c and the second fixing portion 132.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 is provided with a second handle portion 51 on the upper wall 140a of the upper cap 140, which is recessed downwards and extends in the left-right direction. The second handle portion 51 is connected to the first handle portion 50 on the side. The user can open and close the door 10 by placing their hand on the second handle portion 51 provided on the upper surface of the door 10, thereby improving the convenience of the refrigerator 100.

[0074] Furthermore, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to this embodiment is equipped with a hinge 5 provided on the second side. The hinge 5 rotatably supports the door 10. With this configuration, the user can open and close the door 10 using the handle 50.

[0075] Furthermore, the door 10 may also be provided with a lower cap 150 having a configuration symmetrical to the upper cap 140. Since the lower cap 150 has a third handle portion 52, the user can open and close the door 10 by placing their hand on the third handle portion 52 provided on the bottom surface of the door 10. In addition, since the recessed portions of the handle portion 50, the second handle portion 51, and the third handle portion 52 are connected in a series, continuous handle portions are provided on the top and bottom and on one side. This makes it easier for the user to open and close the door 10. Moreover, the user can open and close the door 10 from the top surface, bottom surface, and one side of the door 10 without having to see the handle portion 50, the second handle portion 51, and the third handle portion 52. This improves the convenience of the refrigerator 100.

[0076] Embodiment 2. This embodiment will primarily describe the differences from Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, parts common to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. The differences between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 lie in the configuration of the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, the connecting parts 130, and the upper cap 140. The connecting parts 130 in this embodiment are made of steel plate, and the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 are provided separately. Accordingly, the configuration of the front outer panel 110, the rear outer panel 120, and the upper cap 140 differs from that of Embodiment 1.

[0077] The connecting component 130 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 18 to 20. Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the upper part of one side of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 19 is an exploded front perspective view of the upper part of one side of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 2 at the position of line GG in Figure 13, and is an enlarged view of the handle portion 50.

[0078] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the connecting component 130 comprises a main body 130A having a connecting plate 130a, a second connecting plate 130b, and a third connecting plate 130c. The first fixing part 131 is provided separately from the main body 130A on the right outer peripheral surface of the second connecting plate 130b. The second fixing part 132 is provided separately from the main body 130A on the right outer peripheral surface of the third connecting plate 130c.

[0079] A third flange 135 is provided at the upper end of the connecting plate 130a, extending toward the right side. The outer peripheral wall 140b of the upper cap 140 is provided with a groove-shaped third flange housing portion 142c that accommodates the third flange 135. Specifically, the third flange housing portion 142c is provided on the outer peripheral wall 140b that extends downward from the left outer peripheral portion of the second handle portion 51.

[0080] As shown in Figure 19, a notch 136 is provided at the upper end of the second connecting plate 130b, and a notch 137 is provided at the upper end of the third connecting plate 130c. The notches 136 and 137 have a shape that is recessed from top to bottom. In this embodiment, the right end of the second connecting plate 130b is referred to as end 138. The right end of the third connecting plate 130c is referred to as end 139.

[0081] As shown in Figure 20, the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 are the same part having the same configuration as each other. The first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 have base parts 171 and 181 extending in the front-rear direction, first clamping pieces 172 and 182 extending to the left from the front end of the base parts 171 and 181, and second clamping pieces 173 and 183 extending diagonally from the rear end of the base parts 171 and 181 toward the left end of the first clamping pieces 172 and 182. The first clamping pieces 172 and 182 and the second clamping pieces 173 and 183 are in contact with each other to hold an object between them. The base parts 171 and 181 are provided with pressing parts 176 and 186 extending toward the left. The pressing portions 176 and 186 protrude into the space surrounded by the first clamping pieces 172 and 182, the second clamping pieces 173 and 183, and the base portions 171 and 181, and have a structure that allows them to hold an object between themselves and the first clamping pieces 172 and 182. A gap is formed between the pressing portions 176 and 186 and the first clamping pieces 172 and 182.

[0082] In the first fixing part 131, the first clamping piece 172, the second clamping piece 173, and the pressing part 176 constitute the clamping part 174. The clamping part 174 of the first fixing part 131 clamps the second connecting plate 130b of the overlapping connecting parts 130 and the third front plate 110c of the front outer plate 110. Specifically, the second clamping piece 173 presses down on the end 138 of the second connecting plate 130b, and the first clamping piece 172 presses down on the end 111 of the third front plate 110c, thereby clamping the second connecting plate 130b and the third front plate 110c. Because they are sandwiched between the first clamping piece 172 and the second clamping piece 173, the second connecting plate 130b and the third front plate 110c are less likely to shift in the left-right and front-back directions. Furthermore, the end 138 of the second connecting plate 130b and the end 111 of the third front plate 110c are inserted into the gap between the pressing portion 176 and the first clamping piece 172. Because they are sandwiched between the pressing portion 176 and the first clamping piece 172, the second connecting plate 130b and the third front plate 110c are prevented from wobbling back and forth.

[0083] In the second fixing part 132, the first clamping piece 182, the second clamping piece 183, and the pressing part 186 constitute the clamping part 184. The clamping part 184 of the second fixing part 132 clamps the third connecting plate 130c of the overlapping connecting parts 130 and the third back plate 120c of the back outer plate 120. Specifically, the second clamping piece 183 presses the end 121 of the third back plate 120c, and the first clamping piece 182 presses the end 139 of the third connecting plate 130c, thereby clamping the third connecting plate 130c and the third back plate 120c. Because they are sandwiched between the first clamping piece 182 and the second clamping piece 183, the third connecting plate 130c and the third back plate 120c are less likely to shift in the left-right and front-back directions. Furthermore, the end 139 of the third connecting plate 130c and the end 121 of the third back plate 120c are inserted into the gap between the pressing portion 186 and the first clamping piece 182. Because they are sandwiched between the pressing portion 186 and the first clamping piece 182, the wobbling of the third connecting plate 130c and the third back plate 120c back and forth is suppressed.

[0084] Next, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 will be described with reference to Figure 19. The notch 116 and the upper end of the end 111 of the third front panel 110c of the front outer panel 110 are located below the third flange portion 115c. Similarly, the notch 126 and the upper end of the end 121 of the third rear panel 120c of the rear outer panel 120 are located below the second flange portion 125b. When the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are connected by the connecting part 130, the notch 116 of the third front panel 110c and the notch 136 of the second connecting plate 130b overlap, and the notch 137 of the third connecting plate 130c and the notch 126 of the third rear panel 120c overlap. Furthermore, the notch 116 in the third front panel 110c, the notch 136 in the second connecting panel 130b, the notch 137 in the third connecting panel 130c, and the notch 126 in the third rear panel 120c are aligned in a straight line in the front-to-back direction.

[0085] The first claw portion 145a of the upper cap 140 engages with the notch 116 of the third front plate 110c and the notch 136 of the second connecting plate 130b. The second claw portion 146a of the upper cap 140 engages with the notch 137 of the third connecting plate 130c and the notch 126 of the third back plate 120c. The first claw portion 145a and the second claw portion 146a only need to be able to engage with the corresponding notches, and there are no particular limitations on the location and shape of where they are provided.

[0086] The following describes the effects of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 2. The door 10 of the refrigerator 100 according to Embodiment 2 includes a main body 130A in which the connecting component 130 has a connecting plate 130a, a second connecting plate 130b extending from the front end of the connecting plate 130a toward a second side surface, and a third connecting plate 130c extending from the rear end of the connecting plate 130a toward a second side surface. The first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132 are provided separately from the main body 130A. The first fixing part 131 has a clamping part 174 that clamps the second connecting plate 130b of the overlapping connecting component 130 and the third front plate 110c of the front outer plate 110. The second fixing portion 132 has a clamping portion 184 that clamps the third connecting plate 130c of the overlapping connecting parts 130 and the third back plate 120c of the back outer plate 120.

[0087] In this embodiment, the connecting component 130, which consists of the main body 130A, the first fixing part 131, and the second fixing part 132, is configured to connect the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120. However, since the configuration of the first flange 115 of the front outer panel 110 and the first flange housing part 142a of the upper cap 140 is the same as in Embodiment 1, the upper cap 140 becomes less conspicuous in the appearance of the door 10, and the upper cap 140 has less impact on the design.

[0088] Furthermore, similar to Embodiment 1, the first flange 115 of the front outer panel 110 and the second flange 125 of the rear outer panel 120 are provided at the upper ends of the front folded portion 110A and the rear folded portion 120A, respectively. In this embodiment as well, the front folded portion 110A and the rear folded portion 120A are connected by a connecting part 130, so the handle portion 50 can be constructed without requiring bending in the direction that would cause the flange to split. Therefore, the same effects as in Embodiment 1 can be obtained.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the clamping portion 174 of the first fixing portion 131 and the clamping portion 184 of the second fixing portion 132 each have a pair of clamping pieces that clamp an object at their tips and a base portion 171, 181 that connects the pair of clamping pieces. The base portions 171, 181 are provided with pressing portions 176, 186 that protrude toward the space formed between the pair of clamping pieces and the base portions 171, 181 and come into contact with the object. The pair of clamping pieces of the clamping portion 174 are the first clamping piece 172 and the second clamping piece 173, and the pair of clamping pieces of the clamping portion 184 are the first clamping piece 182 and the second clamping piece 183.

[0090] With the above configuration of the first fixing part 131 and the second fixing part 132, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are firmly fixed to the connecting part 130. As a result, the front outer panel 110 and the rear outer panel 120 are less likely to shift in the front, back, left, and right directions, and wobbling in the front and back directions is suppressed. Therefore, the quality of the refrigerator 100 can be improved.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the door 10 of the refrigerator 100 has a connecting part 130 made of steel plate. The connecting part 130 has a third flange 135 extending horizontally toward the second side at the upper end of the connecting plate 130a. In addition, the outer peripheral wall 140b of the upper cap 140 is provided with a groove-shaped third flange housing portion 142c that accommodates the third flange 135 of the connecting part 130.

[0092] In the above configuration, since the connecting part 130 is made of steel plate, the aesthetic design of the door 10 is improved. Also, since the third flange 135 at the upper end of the connecting plate 130a is housed in the third flange housing portion 142c of the upper cap 140, the user does not touch the end face of the steel plate connecting plate 130a when placing their hand on the handle portion 50. This improves the safety of the refrigerator 100. Furthermore, since the third flange 135 is housed in the third flange housing portion 142c, the connecting part 130 and the upper cap 140 are connected flush, which helps to prevent any impact on the aesthetic design of the door 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 1 Box body, 2 Refrigerator compartment, 3 Vegetable compartment, 4 Freezer compartment, 5 Hinge, 10 Door, 17 Foam insulation, 20 Vegetable compartment door, 30 Freezer compartment door, 50 Handle, 51 Second handle, 52 Third handle, 100 Refrigerator, 110 Front outer panel, 110A Front folded-over section, 110a Front panel, 110b Second front panel, 110c Third front panel, 110d Fourth front panel, 110e Fifth front panel, 111 End section, 115 First flange, 115a First flange section, 115b Second flange section, 115c Third flange section, 115d Fourth flange section, 116 Notch, 117 Notch, 120 Rear outer panel, 120A Rear folded-over section, 120a 120b back plate, 120c second back plate, 121 third back plate, 125 end, 125a second flange, 125a first flange section, 125b second flange section, 126 notch, 127 notch, 130 connecting part, 130A main body, 130a connecting plate, 130b second connecting plate, 130c third connecting plate, 131 first fixing part, 131a clamping piece, 131b pressing part, 131c folded part, 132 second fixing part, 132a clamping piece, 132b pressing part, 132c folded part, 133 upper end surface, 135 third flange, 136 notch, 137 notch, 138 end, 139 end, 140 upper cap, 140a upper wall, 140b Outer wall, 142 flange housing, 142a first flange housing, 142b second flange housing, 142c third flange housing, 143 first projection, 144 second projection, 145 first claw, 145a first claw, 145b first claw, 146 second claw, 146a second claw, 146b second claw, 147 cover, 148 lower end face, 150 lower cap, 160 inner plate, 171 base, 172 first clamping piece, 173 second clamping piece, 174 clamping part, 176 pressing part, 181 base, 182 first clamping piece, 183 second clamping piece, 184 clamping part, 186 pressing part.

Claims

1. A box-shaped body having an opening on the front and a storage space inside, A handle is provided on one side in the left-right direction, which is the first side, and a door is attached to the box body on the second side, which is the side opposite to the first side, which opens and closes the opening. Equipped with, The aforementioned door is Front exterior panel and A rear outer panel provided on the rear side of the aforementioned front outer panel, A connecting component that connects the front outer panel and the rear outer panel in the front-rear direction and constitutes at least a part of the first side surface of the door, The upper cap, which is provided on the front outer panel, the rear outer panel, and the connecting part, and which constitutes the upper surface of the door, It has, The aforementioned front outer panel is A front panel that constitutes at least a part of the front of the door, A front folded portion is formed at the rear of the front panel, where the front panel is folded back from the first side end toward the second side end, A first flange is provided at the upper end of the front folded portion and extends toward the region enclosed by the front folded portion and the front plate. It has, The aforementioned rear outer panel is A back panel that constitutes at least a part of the back of the door, A back folded portion is formed at the front of the back panel, extending from the first side end of the back panel toward the second side end, A second flange is provided at the upper end of the rear folded portion and extends toward the region enclosed by the rear folded portion and the rear plate. It has, The aforementioned upper cap is The upper wall and An outer peripheral wall extending downward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper wall, A groove-shaped first flange housing portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall and accommodates the first flange, A groove-shaped second flange housing portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall and accommodates the second flange. It has, The handle portion is formed by the front folded portion, a part of the connecting component, and the rear folded portion, and has a shape that is recessed toward the second side. refrigerator.

2. The aforementioned connecting component is A first fixing part that is fixed to the front outer panel, A second fixing part that is fixed to the aforementioned rear outer panel, A connecting plate is provided between the first fixing part and the second fixing part, extending in the front-rear and up-down directions of the door and constituting a part of the handle part. has The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The front folded portion of the front outer panel is A second front panel extends from the first side end of the front panel toward the rear and forms a part of the first side of the door, A third front panel extending from the rear end of the second front panel toward the second side panel and It has, The rear folded portion of the rear outer panel is A second back panel extends from the first side end of the back panel of the back outer panel toward the front and forms a part of the first side of the door, The third back panel extends from the front end of the second back panel toward the second side of the aforementioned back outer panel and It has, The aforementioned connecting component is A second connecting plate extending from the front end of the connecting plate toward the second side surface, A third connecting plate extending from the rear end of the connecting plate toward the second side surface and It has, The first fixing portion of the connecting component is provided on the second connecting plate of the connecting component, and sandwiches the third front plate between itself and the second connecting plate. The second fixing portion of the connecting component is provided on the third connecting plate of the connecting component, and sandwiches the third back plate between itself and the third connecting plate. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

4. The first fixing portion of the connecting component is formed by folding back from the end of the second side surface of the second connecting plate towards the first side surface. The second fixing portion of the connecting component is formed by folding back from the end of the second side of the third connecting plate towards the first side. The refrigerator according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned connecting part is made of resin. The upper end surface of the connecting component makes surface contact with the lower end surface of the upper cap. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The front folded portion of the front outer panel is A second front panel extends from the first side end of the front panel toward the rear and forms a part of the first side of the door, A third front panel extending from the rear end of the second front panel toward the second side panel and It has, The rear folded portion of the rear outer panel is A second back panel extends from the first side end of the back panel of the back outer panel toward the front and forms a part of the first side of the door, The third back panel extends from the front end of the second back panel toward the second side of the aforementioned back outer panel and It has, The connecting component comprises a main body having a connecting plate, a second connecting plate extending from the front end of the connecting plate toward the second side surface, and a third connecting plate extending from the rear end of the connecting plate toward the second side surface. The first fixing part and the second fixing part are provided separately from the main body. The first fixing portion has a clamping portion that clamps the second connecting plate of the overlapping connecting parts and the third front plate of the front outer plate, The second fixing portion has a clamping portion that clamps the third connecting plate of the overlapping connecting parts and the third back plate of the back outer plate. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

7. The clamping portion of the first fixing part and the clamping portion of the second fixing part are, A pair of clamping pieces that grip an object at the tip, A base connecting the pair of clamping pieces and It has, The base portion includes a pressing portion that protrudes toward the space formed between the pair of clamping pieces and the base portion and contacts the object. The refrigerator according to claim 6.

8. The connecting component is made of steel plate and has a third flange extending horizontally toward the second side at the upper end of the connecting plate. The outer circumferential wall of the upper cap is provided with a groove-shaped third flange housing portion that accommodates the third flange of the connecting component. The refrigerator according to claim 6 or claim 7.

9. The aforementioned upper cap is A first claw portion protruding downwards, A second claw portion that protrudes downward and It has, The front outer plate has a recessed notch in the portion of the upper end where the first flange is not provided, into which the first claw portion is engaged. The rear outer panel has a concave notch in the portion of the upper end where the second flange is not provided, into which the second claw portion is engaged. The refrigerator according to claim 3, claim 4, claim 6, or claim 7.

10. The first and second fixing portions of the connecting component are embedded in the foamed insulation material filled between the front outer panel and the rear outer panel. The refrigerator according to claim 3, claim 4, claim 6, or claim 7.

11. The upper wall of the upper cap is provided with a second handle portion that is recessed downward and extends in the left-right direction. The second handle portion is connected to the first handle portion on the side. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 6, or 7.

12. The door is provided with a hinge on the second side surface, The hinge rotatably supports the door. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 6, or 7.

Images