Abstract:
A refrigerator having a mid-front plate structure that provides a superior coupling strength with respect to a middle wall while ensuring a simple shape and a high strength. The refrigerator includes a coupling member which is fixed to a front surface of the middle wall such that the mid-front plate is fixed to the middle wall. The mid-front plate includes an interior space to accommodate the coupling member and an insertion hole part allowing the coupling member to be inserted into the interior space therethrough. The mid-front plate is fixed to the middle wall by moving the mid-front plate toward the middle wall such that the coupling member fixed to the middle wall is inserted into the interior space and then by pushing the mid-front plate to one side.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2011-0055220, filed on Jun. 8, 2011 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    Embodiments relate to a mid-front plate installed on a middle wall of a refrigerator. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A refrigerator is an apparatus configured to keep food fresh by use of a cooling cycle. The refrigerator has a storage compartment in the body of a refrigerator to store food. The storage compartment may be divided into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment by a middle wall. 
         [0006]    The middle wall includes an inner case into which thermal insulating material is formed to insulate heat transferring between the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment. A mid-front plate is installed at a front surface of the middle wall. A hot pipe is laid between the mid-front plate and the middle wall to prevent dews from being formed on the mid-front plate by cool air of the storage chamber. 
         [0007]    In general, a mid-front plate is installed by inserting a locking protrusion formed on the mid-front plate into an inner case and a reinforcing plate, which is disposed in the inner case, and then pushing the locking protrusion to one side. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a mid-front plate of an improved structure having a simple shape, a superior processability and a high strength. 
         [0009]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a coupling structure of a mid-front plate and a middle wall that ensures a sufficient coupling force between the mid-front plate and the middle wall, and prevents leakage of foam liquid filled in an inner case without having to dispose a reinforcing plate in the inner case. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a refrigerator includes a body, a middle wall, a door, a mid-front plate and a coupling member. The body includes an inner case forming a storage compartment and an outer case enabling thermal insulating material to be formed in a space between the inner case and the outer case. The middle wall is configured to divide the storage compartment into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment. The door is installed on the body to open/close a front surface of the storage compartment that is openable. The mid-front plate is installed on a front surface of the middle wall. The coupling member is configured to fix the mid-front plate to the middle wall while being fixed to the front surface of the middle wall. The mid-front plate includes an interior space to accommodate the coupling member and an insertion hole part enabling the coupling member to be inserted into the interior space therethrough. The mid-front plate is fixed to the middle wall by moving the mid-front plate toward the middle wall such that the coupling member fixed to the middle wall is inserted into the interior space of the mid-front plate and then by pushing the mid-front plate to one side. 
         [0011]    A gasket is provided at a rear surface of the door to prevent cool air from leaking, and the gasket automatically comes into close contact with the front surface of the mid-front plate when the storage compartment is closed. 
         [0012]    The mid-front plate is formed by bending a single metal plate. 
         [0013]    The mid-front plate is provided in a form of a flat tub having one side open. 
         [0014]    The mid-front plate further includes a movement hole part which extends from the insertion hole part lengthwise along the mid-front plate, and a locking part which is formed around the movement hole part and is inserted between the middle wall and the coupling member. 
         [0015]    The refrigerator further includes a hot pipe configured to prevent frost from being formed on the mid-front plate, wherein the hot pipe is accommodated in the interior space of the mid-front plate. 
         [0016]    The hot pipe comes into close contact with and is fixed to a rear surface of the mid-front plate while being pressed by the coupling member. 
         [0017]    The refrigerator further includes a buffer member inserted into the interior space to arrange the hot pipe and to reinforce the mid-front plate. 
         [0018]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a refrigerator includes a body, an upper storage compartment, a lower storage compartment, a mid-front plate and a coupling member. The middle wall is configured to divide an interior of the body into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment. The mid-front plate is installed on a front surface of the middle wall. The coupling member is fixed to the front surface of the middle wall to form a coupling gap enabling the mid-front plate to be inserted between the middle wall and the coupling member therethrough. 
         [0019]    The coupling member includes a support part which comes into close contact with the middle wall, and a pressing part which is spaced apart from the middle wall to form the coupling gap between the middle wall and the coupling member. 
         [0020]    Each of the support part and the pressing part has a circular cross section. 
         [0021]    The coupling member includes an elastic clip such that the coupling member is press-fittedly fixed to the middle wall. 
         [0022]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a refrigerator includes a body, a middle wall, a mid-front plate and a coupling member. The middle wall is configured to divide an interior of the body into a upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment. The mid-front plate is installed on a front surface of the mid-front surface and has an interior space. The coupling member is accommodated in the interior space and is configured to fix the mid-front plate while pressing the mid-front plate toward the middle wall. 
         [0023]    The mid-front plate includes an insertion hole part allowing the coupling member to be inserted into the inner space therethrough, a movement hole part, which extends from the insertion hole part such that the mid-front plate moves lenghthwise along the mid-front plate after the coupling member is inserted into the interior space, and a locking part which is formed around the movement hole part to be pressed by the coupling member. 
         [0024]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a refrigerator includes a body, a middle wall, a door, a mid-front plate, a hot pipe and a coupling member. The body has an inner case forming a storage compartment and an outer case enabling thermal insulating material to be formed in a space between the inner case and the outer case. The middle wall is configured to divide the storage compartment into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment. The door is installed on the body to open and close a front surface of the storage compartment that is openable. The mid-front plate is installed on a front surface of the middle wall. The hot pipe is configured to prevent frost from being formed on the mid-front plate. The coupling member is fixed on the front surface of the middle wall such that the mid-front plate is fixed to the middle wall. 
         [0025]    The hot pipe and the coupling member are accommodated in the interior space, and the hot pipe is accommodated while making contact with a rear surface of the mid-front plate in the interior space. 
         [0026]    According to the present disclosure, the mid-front plate is provided in a simple shape, and thus the workability is improved in manufacturing the mid-front plate. 
         [0027]    The mid-front plate has a shape providing a superior strength, so the mid-front plate is prevented from being deformed when installed or in use. 
         [0028]    A conventional reinforcing plate is omitted, and a coupling structure between the mid-front plate and the middle wall is simple, thereby facilitating the installation of the mid-front plate. 
         [0029]    While thermal insulating material is formed in the inner case of a middle wall through a foaming process, foam liquid is prevented from leaking. Accordingly, the mid-front plate is prevented from being deformed due to expansion of the thermal insulating material being blown. 
         [0030]    According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, a refrigerator includes a body; a middle wall configured to divide an interior of the body into a upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment, and having an inner case; a mid-front plate installed on a front surface of the mid-front surface and having an insertion hole part, a movement hole part, and a locking part, wherein the movement hole part extends from the insertion hole part lengthwise along the mid-front plate; and a coupling member which is configured to fix the mid-front plate toward the middle wall, wherein the coupling member has a connecting hole through which a screw is coupled to the inner case, a support part supported by the middle wall while coming into close contact with the middle wall, and a pressing part having a step difference with respect to the support part. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]    These and/or other aspects of embodiments will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0032]      FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to an embodiment; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a coupling structure of a mid-front plate and a middle wall of the refrigerator according to an embodiment; 
           [0034]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the mid-front plate shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a coupling structure of a coupling member and the middle wall of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 5  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the coupling structure of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0037]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are views showing a process of fixing the mid-front plate of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view illustrating a mid-front plate of a refrigerator according to an embodiment; 
           [0039]      FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a coupling member of the refrigerator according to an embodiment; 
           [0040]      FIG. 10  is a view illustrating a coupling structure of a mid-front plate and a middle plate according to a conventional embodiment; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 11  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the coupling structure of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  is a view illustrating the coupling structure of a mid-front plate and a middle plate of a conventional refrigerator.  FIG. 11  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the coupling structure of the  FIG. 10 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a middle wall  4  includes an inner case  1  and a thermal insulating material  5  which is formed through expansion inside the inner case  1 . The mid-front plate  6  is coupled to the front surface of the middle wall  4 . 
         [0045]    Each of and upper side and a lower side of the mid-front plate  6  is bent 180 degrees to the inside, and then bent 90 degrees to the middle wall  4 , thereby forming an extension part  7 . The extension part  7  is provided with a locking protrusion  8  that is coupled to the middle wall  4 . 
         [0046]    The middle wall  4  has a second fixing hole  3  corresponding to the locking protrusion  8 . As the locking protrusion  8  is coupled to the second fixing hole  3 , the mid-front plate  6  is fixed to the middle wall  4 . 
         [0047]    In order to reinforce the front surface of the middle wall  4 , a reinforcing plate  9  is coupled to the inside of the inner case  1 . The reinforcing plate  9  is provided in the form of a plate that comes into close contact with a portion of the inner case that forms the front surface of the middle wall  4 . The reinforcing plate  9  is provided at upper side and at lower side thereof each with a second connecting hole  11 . In a state the locking protrusion  8  is inserted to the second connecting hole  11 , the reinforcing plate  9  moves to one side to be fixed to the inner case  1 . 
         [0048]    Meanwhile, a hot pipe  12  is provided in a space between the extension part  7  and the middle wall  4  to prevent dews from being formed on the mid-front plate  6 . 
         [0049]    The coupling process of the conventional mid-front plate  6  is as follows. First, the reinforcing plate  9  comes into close contact with the inside of the inner case  1 . A screw is coupled to a first connecting hole  10  of the reinforcing plate  9  and to a first fixing hole  2  of the inner case  1 , so that the reinforcing plate  9  is closely fixed to the inner case  1 . 
         [0050]    As the locking protrusion  8  of the mid-front plate  6  is pushed to one side while being inserted into the second fixing hole  3  of the inner case  1  and into the second connecting hole  11  of the reinforcing plate  9 , the locking protrusion  8  is insertedly coupled to the inner case  1  and to the reinforcing plate  9 , and thus the mid-front plate  6  is fixed. 
         [0051]    As described above, since the mid-front plate  6  is not strong, the reinforcing plate  9  is additionally coupled to reinforce the strength of the front surface of the middle wall  4 . In addition, the thermal insulating material may leak to the outside the inner case  1  through the first and the second fixing holes  2  and  3 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to an embodiment. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the refrigerator  20  comprises a body  21  to store food, storage compartments  24  and  25  provided inside the body  21 , a middle wall  30  dividing the storage compartments  24  and  25  into an upper storage compartment  24  and a lower storage compartment  25 , and a cooling cycle (not shown) to provide cool air to keep food fresh. 
         [0054]    The body  21  comprises an outer case  22  forming an external appearance of the refrigerator  20 , an inner case  23  provided inside the outer case  22  to form the storage compartments  24  and  25 , and thermal insulating material (not shown) formed between the outer case  22  and the inner case  23  to thermally insulate the storage compartments  24  and  25 . 
         [0055]    Front surfaces of the upper storage compartment  24  and the lower storage compartment  25  are open to insert and withdraw food. An upper door  26  and a lower door  27  are rotatably installed on one side of the body  21  to open and close the front surfaces of the upper storage compartment  24  and the lower storage compartment  25 , respectively. 
         [0056]    An upper hinge (not shown) is provided at an upper end of the one side of the body  21  to rotate the upper door  26 , and a lower hinge (not shown) is provided at an lower end of the one side of the body  21  to rotate the lower door  27 ; while a middle hinge  28  is provided on the middle wall  30  to rotate the upper door  26  and the lower door  27 . 
         [0057]    The middle wall  30  includes the inner case  23  and a thermal insulating material  33  (see  FIG. 5 ) that is formed inside the inner case  23  to prevent heat transfer between the upper storage compartment  24  and the lower storage compartment  25 . A mid-front plate  40  is installed at a front surface of the middle wall  30 . A gasket  29  provided on the doors  26  and  27  comes into close contact with a front surface of the mid-front plate  30  to seal the storage compartments  24  and  25 . 
         [0058]    Hereinafter, the configuration and the coupling scheme of the mid-front plate  30  will be described in detail. 
         [0059]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a coupling structure of a mid-front plate and a middle wall of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0060]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the mid-front plate  40  is fixedly installed onto the middle wall  30  through at least one coupling member  60 . 
         [0061]    The coupling member  60  is provided as an integrated body, including polypropylene (PP). The coupling member  60  is fixed to the front surface of the middle wall  30  to enable the mid-front plate  40  to be coupled to the middle wall  30 . 
         [0062]    The middle wall  30  has a receiving part  31  recessed to a rear side of the middle wall  30  to receive the mid-front plate  40 . A fixing hole  32  is formed in the receiving part  31  to fix the coupling member  60  at an inner side of the receiving part  31 . 
         [0063]    The fixing hole  32  may be provided in a predetermined number, for example at least one, such that at least one fixing hole  32  is spaced apart from each other lengthwise along the mid-front plate  40 . An elastic clip  61  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the coupling member  60  is inserted into the fixing hole  32 . The elastic clip  61  is press-fittingly inserted into the fixing hole  32 , such that the fixing hole  32  is completely sealed by the elastic clip  61 , and the thermal insulating material  33  (see  FIG. 5 ) filled in the inner case  23  is prevented from leaking to outside. The elastic clip  61  inserted to the fixing hole  32  will be described later in detail. 
         [0064]    A hot pipe  80  is configured to prevent dews from being formed on the mid-front plate  40  due to cool air inside the storage compartments  24  and  25 . The hot pipe  80  may be formed by extending a part of a coolant circulation pipe passing a high-temperature coolant that has passed through a compressor (not shown) constituting a cooling cycle (not shown). 
         [0065]    The high-temperature coolant passing through the hot pipe  80  can prevent dews from being formed on the mid-front plate  40  due to heat transfer between the coolant and the mid-front plate  40  which is cooled by cool air inside the storage compartments  24  and  25 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the mid-front plate shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0067]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the mid-front plate  40  is provided in the form of a flat tube by bending an elongated single metal plate to form an interior space  44  (see  FIG. 5 ) while having one open surface. 
         [0068]    Such a configuration of the mid-front plate  40  offers a greater strength than the conventional mid-front plate. Accordingly, even though the reinforcing plate is not installed in the inner case  23  to reinforce the front surface of the middle wall  30 , the mid-front plate  40  and the front part of the inner  23  corresponding to the middle wall  40  is prevented from being deformed. 
         [0069]    In addition, the mid-front plate  40  according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is formed by bending a single metal plate through a roll forming; so that the manufacturing process is simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced. 
         [0070]    In detail, the mid-front plate  40  includes a front side part  41  forming the external appearance of the refrigerator  20 , an extension part  42  bent from the end of the front side part  41  to the rear side of the refrigerator  20 , and a bending part  43  bent from the end of the extension part  42  to be approximately parallel to the front side part  41 . 
         [0071]    The bending part  43  includes an insertion hole part  45 , an movement hole part  46 , and a locking part  47 . 
         [0072]    The insertion hole part  45  may be provided in a predetermined number, for example, at least one, such that at least one insertion hole part  45  is spaced apart from each other lengthwise along the mid-front plate  40 . The insertion hole part  45  needs to have a width (h 4  in  FIG. 5 ) greater than the width (h 3  in  FIG. 5 ) of a pressing part of the coupling member, such that the coupling member  60  (see  FIG. 5 ) is inserted into the interior space  44  ( FIG. 5 ) through the insertion hole  45 . The inserting of the coupling member  60  to the insertion hole part  45  will be described later in detail. 
         [0073]    The movement hole part  46  extends from the insertion hole part  46  lengthwise along the mid-front plate  40 . The movement hole part  45  needs to have a width (h 2  in  FIG. 5 ) greater than the width (h 1  in  FIG. 5 ) of a support part of the coupling member  60  to move the mid-front plate  40  by a small degree to fix the mid-front plate  40  after the mid-front plate  40  is moved to the middle wall  30  to insert the coupling member  60  (see  FIG. 5 ) into the interior space  44  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the mid-front plate  40 . The fixing of the mid-front plate  40  to the middle wall  30  will be described later in detail. 
         [0074]    The locking part  47  forms a plate around the movement hole part  46  which is substantially inserted between the coupling member  60  (see  FIG. 5 ) and the middle wall  30  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0075]    A lateral side part  51  is formed by bending both ends of the mid-front plate  40  lengthwise to a rear side of the mid-front plate  40 . An edge part  52  is formed by bending the lateral side part  51  to be approximately parallel to the front surface of the middle wall  40 . The edge part  52  is provided with a connecting hole  53  that enables a screw to be coupled thereto. 
         [0076]    Meanwhile, the front side part  41  is provided at one side with a hinge coupling hole  50  to install the middle hinge  17  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0077]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a coupling structure of the coupling member and the middle wall of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0078]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the coupling member  60  includes an elastic clip  61 , which is inserted into the fixing hole  32  of the middle wall  30 , a support part  62  supported by the middle wall  30  while coming into close contact with the middle wall  30 , and a pressing part  63  having a step difference with respect to the support part  62 . The pressing part has a width h 3  greater than the width h 1  of the support part  62  to form a gap between the pressing part  63  and the middle wall  30 . The configuration of the pressing part  63  and the support part  62  will be described later in detail. 
         [0079]    The elastic clip  61  has a cross section of a diameter which is greater than that of the fixing hole  32 . The elastic clip  61  is contracted by receiving external force to be press-fitted to the fixing hole  32 , and then expanded through restoring force to be insertedly coupled to the fixing hole  32 . In this manner, a gap is removed in the fixing hole  32  having the elastic clip  61  inserted thereto, thereby preventing foam liquid from leaking. 
         [0080]    The support part  62  comes into a close contact with the middle wall  30  while being securely supported by the middle wall  30  when the coupling member  60  is insertedly coupled to the fixing hole  32 . 
         [0081]    The pressing part  63  having a step difference with respect to the support part  62  is spaced apart from the middle wall  30  when the coupling member  60  is insertedly coupled to the fixing hole  32 , thereby forming a gap between the coupling member  60  and the middle wall  30 ; in detail, between the pressing part  63  of the coupling member  60  and the middle wall. Hereinafter, the gap will be referred to as a coupling gap  70  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0082]    Each of the support part  62  and the pressing part has a circular cross section that provides the same cross section, regardless of the orientation that the coupling member  60  is coupled to the middle wall  30 . 
         [0083]      FIG. 5  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the coupling structure of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0084]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the configuration of the mid-front plate  40  and the coupling member  60 , and the coupling structure of the mid-front plate  40  and the coupling member  60  will be described in detail. The same description made above will be omitted to avoid redundancy. 
         [0085]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the mid-front plate  40  is received in the receiving part  31  of the middle wall  30 . The coupling member  60 , the hot pipe  80 , and a buffer member  71  are received in the interior space  44  of the mid-front plate  40 . 
         [0086]    The front side part  41  of the mid-front plate  40  is exposed to outside to form an external appearance. The extension part  42  and the bending part  43  come into contact with the middle wall  30 . 
         [0087]    As describe above, the coupling member  60  is fixed to the middle wall  30  as the elastic clip  61  is inserted into the fixing hole  32  of the middle wall  30 , and the support part  62  is supported by the middle wall  30  while coming into a close contact with the middle wall  30 . 
         [0088]    The pressing part  63  of the coupling member  60  forms the coupling gap  70  between the coupling member  60  and the middle wall  30  while being spaced apart from the middle wall  30 . The bending part  43  of the mid-front plate  40  is inserted into the coupling gap  70 . In detail, the locking part  47  of the bending part  43  is inserted into the coupling gap  70 . 
         [0089]    That is, as the coupling member  60  presses the mid-front plate  40  to the middle wall  30 ; in detail, as the pressing part  63  of the coupling member  60  presses the locking part  47  of the bending part  43  of the mid-front plate  40  to the middle wall  30 , the mid-front plate  40  is fixedly installed on the middle wall  30 . 
         [0090]    Meanwhile, the hot pipe  80  is also pressed against a rear surface  48  of the mid-front plate  40  by the pressing part  63  of the coupling member  60 , such that the hot pipe  80  is fixed to the rear surface of the mid-front plate  40  while making contact with the rear surface of the mid-front plate  40 . Accordingly, the hot pipe  80  comes into close contact with the front side part  41  of the hot pipe  80 , thereby enhancing the heat exchange efficiency between the hot pipe  80  and the mid-front plate  40 . 
         [0091]    In order to reinforce the mid-front plate  40  and arrange the position of the hot pipe  80 , the buffer member  71 , for example, Styrofoam is inserted into the interior space  44  of the mid-front plate  40 . The buffer member  71  may be inserted into an upper side and a lower side of the interior space  44 . 
         [0092]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are views showing a process of fixing the mid-front plate of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0093]    Hereinafter, a process of installing the mid-front plate according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7 . 
         [0094]    In order to install the mid-front plate  40 , the coupling member  60  is fixed to the middle wall  30 . The coupling member  60  is fixed to the middle wall  30  by press-fitting the elastic clip  61  of the coupling member  60  to the fixing hole  32  of the middle wall  30 . 
         [0095]    Then, the mid-front plate  40  is disposed to the front surface of the receiving part  31  of the middle wall  30 . The mid-front plate  40  is moved toward the middle wall  30 , such that the coupling member  60  fixed to the middle wall  30  is inserted into the interior space  44  of the mid-front plate  40  by passing through the insertion hole part  45 . 
         [0096]    Then, referring to  FIG. 7 , the mid-front plate  40  is pushed to one side, such that the bending part  43  of the mid-front plate  40  is inserted between the coupling gap  70  formed between the coupling member  60  and the middle wall  30 , so that the mid-front plate  40  is fixed. 
         [0097]    In detail, as the mid-front plate  40  is pushed to one side, the locking part  47  of the bending part  43  of the mid-front plate  40  is inserted between the coupling gap  70  formed between the pressing part  63  of the coupling member  60  and the middle wall  30 , so that the mid-front plate  40  is fixed. 
         [0098]    Thereafter, a screw is sequentially coupled to the connecting hole  53  of the edge part  52  of the mid-front plate  40  and to a portion of the inner case  23  of the middle wall  30  corresponding to the connecting hole  53 , and the outer case  22  is covered on the inner case  34 , thereby finishing the installation of the mid-front plate  40 . 
         [0099]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view illustrating a mid-front plate of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. 
         [0100]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a mid-front plate  140  according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes an insertion hole part  145 , a movement hole part  146 , and a locking part  147 . 
         [0101]    The insertion hole  145  is provided in a predetermined number, for example, at least one, such that at least one insertion hole  145  is spaced apart from each other lengthwise along the mid-front plate  140 . 
         [0102]    The movement hole part  146  extends from the insertion hole part  145  lengthwise along the mid-front plate  140 . Different from the previous embodiment, the movement hole part  146  extends by a predetermined length to be spaced away from an adjacent insertion hole part  145  without connecting the adjacent insertion parts  145  to each other. 
         [0103]      FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a coupling member of the refrigerator according an embodiment. 
         [0104]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , a coupling member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a connecting hole  161  through which a screw is coupled to the inner case  23 , the support part  62  supported by the middle wall  30  while coming into close contact with the middle wall  30 , and the pressing part  63  having a step difference with respect to the support part  62 . The middle wall  30  has a fixing hole  132  through which a screw (s) is coupled to the middle wall  30 . 
         [0105]    Although a few embodiments have been shown and described in the present disclosure, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.