Refrigerator and manufacturing method of the same

• US 8,770,684 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Pansoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEFERA, HIWOT E
• Application Number:
  US13/969,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 312/405, 312/405.1, 312/7.2, 312/204, 312/401, 623/31, 621/25, 495/01
• US Class Current: 312/405.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/04 air-conditioned, refrigerated refrigerators F25D; heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator

Abstract

The present embodiment provides a refrigerator. The refrigerator according to the present embodiment includes a panel member forming at least a portion of the exterior of the refrigerator, an inner case of which at least portion is spaced from the panel, a display case provided at one side of the panel member, insulating material filled in space between the panel member and the inner case, and a display unit mounted on the display case after the filling of the insulating material is completed.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a front plate that forms at least a portion of a front exterior of a door of a refrigerator and comprising a display window formed to be transparent or translucent, and a manipulating part;

a door liner spaced apart from the front plate;

at least one side deco that forms at least a portion of a side exterior of the door and connects the front plate and the door liner;

at least one cap deco that forms at least a portion of an upper or a lower exterior of the door and connects the front plate and the door liner;

insulating material filled and foamed in a space defined by the front plate, the door liner, the at least one side deco and the at least one cap deco, the insulating material contacting the front plate, the door liner, the at least one side deco and the at least one cap deco;

a display case disposed in the space and in contact with the insulating material and a rear surface of the front plate;

an inserting part formed on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco and communicating with a receiving space defined by the rear surface of the front plate and the display case; and

a unit guide on which a display unit is mounted, the display unit comprising a printed circuit board, a display part and a sensing part, both the display part and the sensing part being mounted on the printed circuit board, the unit guide being mounted on the display case,

wherein the unit guide is inserted in the receiving space defined by the rear surface of the front plate and the display case through the inserting part formed on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure part configured to pressurize the display unit toward the rear surface of the front plate.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the pressure part is disposed on the display case.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the pressure part is inclined toward the rear surface of the front plate.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a cover member to cover the inserting part.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the display case comprises a front opening and an inserting opening in which the unit guide is inserted.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein a bending part is formed on the front opening to be closely adhered to the rear surface of the front plate.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the inserting opening is arranged to face with the inserting part.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the display case is mounted on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco before filling of the insulating material in the space defined by the front plate, the door liner, the at least one side deco and at least one cap deco.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is a flat plate and the display window is formed on a portion of the flat plate.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating part to be touched by a user is formed on a front surface of the front plate corresponding to the sensing part.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is provided with a display guide to guide a mounting location of the display unit.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the display case is provided with a guide rail to guide a mounting location of the unit guide, and the unit guide is provided with a guide portion that slides along the guide rail.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the display part displays an operation state of the refrigerator.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is formed of tempered glass or plastic material.

16. A refrigerator, comprising:

a front plate provided with a display window formed to be transparent or translucent, the front plate forming at least a portion of a front exterior of a door of a refrigerator;

a door liner spaced apart from the front plate;

at least one side deco that connects the front plate and the door liner and forms at least a portion of a side exterior of the door;

at least one cap deco that connects the front plate and the door liner and forms at least a portion of an upper or a lower exterior of the door;

insulating material filled and foamed in a space defined by the front plate, the door liner, the at least one side deco and the at least one cap deco, the insulating material contacting the front plate, the door liner, the at least one side deco and the at least one cap deco;

a display case disposed in the space and in contact with the insulating material and a rear surface of the front plate;

a unit guide on which a display unit is mounted, the display unit comprising a printed circuit board and a display part mounted on the printed circuit board, the unit guide being mounted on the display case,

wherein the unit guide is inserted in a receiving space defined by the rear surface of the front plate and the display case through an inserting part formed on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco, and

wherein the inserting part communicates with the receiving space.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, further comprising a pressure part configured to pressurize the display unit toward the rear surface of the front plate.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the pressure part is disposed on the display case.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the pressure part is inclined toward the rear surface of the front plate.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 16, further comprising a cover member to cover the inserting part.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the display case comprises a front opening and an inserting opening in which the unit guide is inserted.

22. The refrigerator according to claim 21, wherein a bending part is formed on the front opening to be closely adhered to the rear surface of the front plate.

23. The refrigerator according to claim 21, wherein the inserting opening is arranged to face with the inserting part.

24. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the display case is mounted on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco before filling of the insulating material in the space.

25. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the display unit further comprises a sensing part to sense a touch manipulation of a user, and

a manipulating part to be touched by the user for manipulating is formed on a front surface of the front plate corresponding to the sensing part.

26. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the front plate is provided with a display guide to guide a mounting location of the display unit.

27. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the display case is provided with a guide rail to guide a mounting location of the unit guide, and the unit guide is provided with a guide portion that slides along the guide rail.

28. A manufacturing method of a refrigerator door comprising:

mounting a display case on a cap deco or a side deco to define a receiving space in which a display unit is inserted, wherein one of the cap deco and the side deco includes an inserting part communicating with the receiving space;

connecting the cap deco and the side deco to a front plate to define a space in which insulating material is filled;

filling and foaming the insulation material in the space defined by the cap deco, the side deco and the front plate; and

inserting the display unit in the receiving space defined by the display case and a rear surface of the front plate through the inserting part of the cap deco or the side deco after filling and foaming the insulation material,

wherein the front plate forms at least a portion of a front exterior of the refrigerator door,

wherein the side deco forms at least a portion of a side exterior of the refrigerator door,

wherein the cap deco forms at least a portion of an upper or a lower exterior of the refrigerator door, and

wherein the insulating material contacts the front plate, a door liner, the side deco and the cap deco.

29. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, wherein the inserting the display unit in the receiving space comprises pressurizing the display unit toward the rear surface of the front plate such that the display unit is in contact with the rear surface of the front plate.

30. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, further comprising forming a display window on the front plate.

31. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, further comprising covering the inserting part by a cap cover.

32. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, wherein the connecting the cap deco and the side deco to the front plate comprises pressurizing the display case toward the rear surface of the front plate such that the display case is in contact with the rear surface of the front plate.

33. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, further comprising connecting the door liner to the cap deco and the side deco to define a space in which the insulating material is filled.

34. The manufacturing method according to claim 28, wherein the display unit is inserted in the receiving space in a state which the display unit is mounted on a unit guide.

35. A manufacturing method of a refrigerator door comprising:

connecting a cap deco and a side deco to a front plate to define a space in which insulating material is filled;

mounting a display case on the cap deco or the side deco to define a receiving space in which a display unit is inserted, wherein one of the cap deco and the side deco includes an inserting part;

connecting the cap deco and the side deco to a door liner;

filling and foaming the insulation material in the space defined by the cap deco, the side deco and the front plate; and

inserting the display unit in the receiving space defined by the display case and a rear surface of the front plate through the inserting part of the cap deco or the side deco after filling and foaming the insulation material,

wherein the front plate forms at least a portion of a front exterior of the refrigerator door,

wherein the side deco forms at least a portion of a side exterior of the refrigerator door,

wherein the cap deco forms at least a portion of an upper or a lower exterior of the refrigerator door, and

wherein the insulating material contacts the front plate, the door liner, the side deco and the cap deco.

36. The manufacturing method according to claim 35, wherein the inserting the display unit in the receiving space comprises pressurizing the display unit toward the rear surface of the front plate such that the display unit is in contact with the rear surface of the front plate.

37. The manufacturing method according to claim 35, further comprising forming a display window on the front plate.

38. The manufacturing method according to claim 35, further comprising covering the inserting part by a cap cover.

39. The manufacturing method according to claim 35, wherein the display unit is inserted in the receiving space defined by the rear surface of the front plate and the display case in a state which the display unit is mounted on a unit guide.

40. A refrigerator, comprising:

a panel member provided with a display window formed to be transparent or translucent, the panel member forming at least a portion of a front exterior of a door of a refrigerator;

an inner case spaced apart from the panel member;

at least one side deco that connects the panel member and the inner case, the at least one side deco forming at least a portion of a side exterior of the door;

at least one cap deco that connects the panel member and the inner case, the at least one cap deco forming at least a portion of an upper or lower exterior of the door;

insulating material filled and foamed in a space defined by the panel member, the inner case, the at least one side deco and at least one cap deco, the insulating material contacting the panel member, the inner case, the at least one side deco and the at least one cap deco;

a display case disposed in the space and in contact with the insulating material and a rear surface of the panel member;

an inserting part formed on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco; and

a unit guide on which a display unit is mounted, the display unit comprising a printed circuit board and a display part mounted on the printed circuit board,

wherein the unit guide is inserted in a receiving space defined by the rear surface of the panel member and the display case through the inserting part formed on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco.

41. The refrigerator according to claim 40, further comprising a pressure part configured to pressurize the display unit toward the rear surface of the panel member.

42. The refrigerator according to claim 41, wherein the pressure part is disposed on the display case.

43. The refrigerator according to claim 41, wherein the pressure part is inclined toward the rear surface of the panel member.

44. The refrigerator according to claim 40, further comprising a cover member to cover the inserting part.

45. The refrigerator according to claim 40, wherein the display case comprises a front opening and an inserting opening in which the unit guide is inserted.

46. The refrigerator according to claim 45, wherein a bending part is formed on the front opening to be closely adhered to the rear surface of the panel member.

47. The refrigerator according to claim 40, wherein the display case is mounted on the at least one side deco or the at least one cap deco before filling of the insulating material.

48. The refrigerator according to claim 40, wherein a manipulating part to be touched by a user for manipulating is formed on a front surface of the panel member corresponding to a sensing part.

49. The refrigerator according to claim 40, wherein the display case is provided with a guide rail to guide a mounting location of the unit guide, and the unit guide is provided with a guide portion that slides along the guide rail.

50. The refrigerator according to claim 40, wherein the panel member is formed of tempered glass or plastic material.