REFRIGERATOR DOOR WITH REPLACEABLE DOOR PANEL

The present invention provides a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel, comprising: a foam door body, and a front panel detachably connected to the foam door body; wherein a hook is disposed on a rear side of the front panel, a hook groove is disposed on a front side of the foam door body, a stopper is disposed in the hook groove, the hook is caught in the hook groove, and the stopper elastically pushes and resists against the hook in a front-rear direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and particularly to a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel.

BACKGROUND

Along with constant development of science and technology, a refrigerator has already become one of indispensable household appliances. In current application, as the user's demands increase, the refrigerator is also required to exist as a decoration in the household environment in addition to as a household appliance; before buying the refrigerator, the user usually has many requirements for the refrigerator such as color and pattern, and a single appearance of the refrigerator affects the user's buying demands. In addition, since a service life of the refrigerator can usually be in a range of 8 years to 10 years, during use of the refrigerator by the user, the appearance of the refrigerator once bought cannot satisfy the user's demands for long-term adjustment as the environment and scenario change; in another case, the door panel also has a risk of being broken during use and transportation of the refrigerator; in the above cases, if the whole door body of the refrigerator is replaced, the replacement cost is high and the use of the refrigerator is also affected, which is not conducive in satisfying the consumer's demands.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel.

In order to achieve one of the above object, an embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel, wherein the refrigerator door comprise: a foam door body, and a front panel detachably connected to the foam door body; wherein a hook is disposed on a rear side of the front panel, a hook groove is disposed on a front side of the foam door body, a stopper is disposed in the hook groove, the hook is caught in the hook groove, and the stopper elastically pushes and resists against the hook in a front-rear direction.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the stopper elastically pushes and resists against the hook rearwardly in a direction perpendicular to the front panel.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the refrigerator door further comprises a frame and a front handle, the frame is attached to a rear side of the front panel, the hook is disposed at an upper end of the frame, and the front handle is disposed at a lower end of the frame, where the hook, the front handle and the frame are formed integrally.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the refrigerator door further comprises a rear handle, the rear handle is disposed in a receiving groove of the foam door body, where after the front panel is assembled with the foam door body, a snap-fitting groove on the front handle and a boss on the rear handle snap-fit each other.

As an optional embodiment, wherein a top end of the boss is provided with a through hole, a cap body is disposed on a side of the snap-fitting groove away from the boss, and a cavity of the cap body and the through hole are communicated with each other, where a bolt passes through the through hole and the cavity of the cap body in turn and interlocks the front handle with the rear handle.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the hook comprises a bent portion and a connecting portion, both ends of the connecting portion are respectively connected to the bent portion and the frame, wherein the bent portion comprises a resisting surface which is parallel and opposite to a rear side of the front panel, and wherein the resisting surface elastically abuts against the stopper.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the stopper comprises a body portion and an elastic portion, the elastic portion is located behind the body portion and protrudes towards an interior of the hook groove, and the elastic portion elastically pushes and resists against the resisting surface.

As an optional embodiment, wherein an upper end of the elastic portion is connected to a top end of the body portion, and a lower end of the elastic portion is suspended at a rear side of the body portion and forms a gap with the body portion.

As an optional embodiment, wherein the elastic portion extends obliquely downward along a top end of the body portion toward a bottom end of the body portion.

As an optional embodiment, wherein a positioning block is disposed in the hook groove, a positioning notch is disposed on the bent portion, where when the front panel is assembled on the front side of the foam door body, the bent portion is inserted in the hook groove, and the positioning notch and the positioning block snap-fit each other.

As compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel, wherein the hook on the rear side of the front panel is detachably connected with the hook groove on the front side of the foam door body, the stopper in the hook groove elastically pushes and resists against the hook in the front-rear direction so that the front panel is attached to the front side of the foam door body, whereby the replacement of the front panel of the refrigerator door with the replaceable door panel is more convenient, and the appearance of the refrigerator door with the replaceable door panel is more beautiful.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be described in detail below in combination with embodiments shown in the figures. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and structural or functional changes made by those having ordinary skill in the art according to these embodiments are all included in the protection scope of the present invention.

As shown inFIG.1throughFIG.6, a refrigerator door100with a replaceable door panel comprises: a foam door body10, and a front panel20detachably connected to the foam door body10, wherein a hook30is disposed on a rear side of the front panel20, a hook groove40is disposed on a front side of the foam door body10, a stopper50is disposed in the hook groove40, the hook30is caught in the hook groove40, and the stopper50elastically pushes and resists against the hook30in a front-rear direction.

In the present embodiment, the stopper50elastically pushes and resists against the hook30rearwardly in a direction perpendicular to the front panel20, the hook30moves towards a rear groove wall41of the hook groove40and brings the front panel20towards the foam door body10so that the front panel20is attached to a front side of the foam door body10, thereby preventing a gap from appearing between the front panel20and the foam door body10and refraining from affecting the beautiful appearance of the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel.

The “front-rear direction” mentioned above refers to a direction perpendicular to the front panel20, and the rear groove wall41of the hook groove40is opposite to the rear side of the front panel20.

It needs to be appreciated that when the stopper50pushes and resists against the hook30, the stopper30only needs to provide the hook30with a component force in a direction perpendicular to the front panel20so that a displacement of the front panel20in the front-rear direction is limited.

As shown inFIG.1throughFIG.4, a frame21is disposed between the front panel21and the foam door body10, the frame21is attached and secured to the rear side of the front panel20, wherein the hook30is formed at an upper end of the frame21and protrudes towards the foam door body10. However, the hook is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, the hook may be also formed on the rear side of the front panel and protrudes towards the foam door body.

Preferably, a front handle60is disposed at a lower end of the frame21, wherein the lower end of the frame21is opposite to the upper end. The hook30, the front handle60and the frame21are formed integrally. The hook30, the front handle60and the frame21are mutually integrated into a one-piece structure and fixed to the rear side of the front panel20so that the assembling and detachment between the front panel20and the foam door body10is made simpler and more convenient.

In addition, the mutual integration of the hook30, the front handle60and the frame21increases a contact area of the frame21and the rear side of the front panel20and enables better attachment of the frame21to the rear side of the front panel20made of a glass material.

As shown inFIG.1throughFIG.6, corresponding to the front handle60, a rear handle70is disposed in an interior of the foam door body10, and the rear handle70is disposed in a receiving groove at the lower end of the foam door body10. After the front panel20is assembled with the foam door body10through the frame21, a snap-fitting groove61on the front handle60and a boss71of the rear handle70snap-fit each other. The boss71comprises a cavity72, and a top end of the boss71is provided with a through hole73; a cap body62is disposed on a side of the snap-fitting groove61away from the boss71, and the cap body62has a cavity621; the through hole73communicates the cavity72with the cavity621. A bolt passes through the cavity72and the through hole73in turn and enter the cavity621, locking the boss71and the cap body62to each other, so that the front handle60and the rear handle70are locked in an up-down direction. The “up-down” direction is parallel to a height direction of the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel. The snap-fitting groove61snap-fits with the boss71to limit a displacement of the front handle60and the rear handle70in a horizontal direction, and the bolt passes through the cavity72and the through hole73of the boss71to lock with the cap body62of the snap-fitting groove61to limit the displacement of the front handle60and the rear handle70in the up-down direction.

Since the front handle60and the frame21are an integrated structure, and the frame21is attached and fixed on the rear side of the front panel20, the displacement of the front panel20in the horizontal direction and up-down direction is also limited after the front handle60and the rear handle70are fixed to each other.

In the present embodiment, the front handle60and the rear handle70are respectively hidden between the foam door body10and the front panel20, and belong to hidden handles.

In addition, the boss71is formed on a first plate74of the rear handle70, and the snap-fitting groove61is formed on a second plate63of the front handle60, wherein the first plate74and the second plate63extend opposed to each other, and the first plate74is superimposed below the second plate63after the front handle60and the rear handle70are assembled.

Further referring toFIG.1throughFIG.6, the hook30comprises a connecting portion31and a bent portion32. Opposite ends of the connecting portion31are respectively connected to the frame21and the bent portion32. The bent portion32comprises a resisting surface321, which is parallel and opposite to the rear side of the front panel21, wherein the stopper50elastically pushes and resists against the resisting surface321of the hook30.

In the present embodiment, the hook30and the frame21, for example, are an integrally-formed sheet metal member, and an upper end of the sheet metal member is bent to form a hook structure. A plurality of reinforcing ribs33are protrudingly provided on a lower surface of the hook30, and the reinforcing ribs33are bent and extend from the upper end of the frame21to the resisting surface321. The reinforcing ribs33is used to reinforce the strength of the hook30in the sheet metal member, improve a force-bearing capacity of the hook30, and enhance the stability of the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel.

The stopper50is disposed in the hook groove40on the front side of the foam door body10, an opening is formed on a side of the hook groove40facing towards the front panel40, and the stopper50is assembled to the hook groove40through the opening. The hook groove40further comprises a step43, and the stopper50is mounted on the step43. Furthermore, a gap401is disposed between a top end of the stopper50and a top groove wall of the hook groove40, and the hook30is mounted to an interior of the hook groove40through the gap401.

The stopper50comprises a body portion52and an elastic portion51, wherein the elastic portion51is located behind the body portion52and protrudes towards the side of the rear groove wall41of the hook groove40. When the hook30is added to the hook groove40, the elastic portion51elastically pushes and resists against the resisting surface321of the bent portion32of the hook30.

In the present embodiment, an upper end of the elastic portion51is connected to a top end of the body portion52, and a lower end of the elastic portion51is suspended at a rear side of the body portion52and forms a gap53with the body portion52. When the elastic portion51elastically interacts with the bent portion32of the hook30, the gap53may provide a deformation space for the elastic portion51.

For example, when the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel is impacted by an external force, the elastic portion51is deformed to overcome the impact of the external force on the door body, thereby achieving the buffering and shock-absorbing effect without affecting the elastic portion51in elastically pushing and resisting against the hook30; alternatively, when the front panel20is detached from the foam door body10, the hook30squeezes the elastic portion51. After the elastic portion51is deformed, it makes partial space so that the hook30can be more easily disengaged from the hook groove40, thereby making the detachment of the front panel20easier.

In addition, the elastic portion51is an inclined structure. Specifically, the upper end of the elastic portion51extends obliquely downward along a top of the body portion52toward the bottom end of the body portion52, so that the elastic portion51has an obliquely downward slope. The slope may guide the hook30to be assembled and detached, which makes the mounting and detachment of the front panel20more smooth.

As shown inFIG.5AthroughFIG.5C, the assembling process of front panel20and foam door body10is roughly as follows:

First, the hook30on the frame21at the rear side of the front panel20is inserted into the hook groove40through the gap401; then, the front panel20is pushed to come close to the foam door body10, whereupon the bent portion32of the hook30moves towards the rear groove wall41of the hook groove40; then, the bent portion32moves along the rear groove wall41towards the bottom groove wall of the hook groove40. The resisting surface321of the bent portion32is pushed back elastically by the elastic portion51of the stopper50in the direction perpendicular to the front panel20, the hook30is snap-fitted in the hook groove40, and the front panel20is closely attached to the front side of the foam door body10.

As shown inFIG.2andFIG.4, the bent portion32is provided with a positioning notch33, and a positioning block42is disposed on the rear groove wall41of the hook groove40. When the front panel20is assembled on the front side of the foam door body10, the positioning notch33on the bent portion32and the positioning block42on the rear groove wall41of the hook groove40engage each other to limit the displacement of the hook30in the hook groove40in a left-right direction, wherein the left-right direction is consistent with a width direction of the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel.

As shown inFIG.7, a refrigerator door200in another embodiment of the present invention differs from the refrigerator door100with the replaceable door panel in that the refrigerator door200further comprises an adhesive layer which is disposed on a front side of the frame11of the foam door body10. After the front panel20is assembled with the foam door body10, the adhesive layer may be used to fix the front panel20to the frame11of the foam door body10.

The adhesive layer is, for example, a double-sided adhesive layer or a hot melt adhesive layer.

In addition, in other embodiments of the invention, the frame and hook structure at the rear side of the front panel may be removed, and the adhesive layer may be directly formed at a rim of the foam door body. At this time, after being assembled to each other, the front handle and the rear handle are mounted together in the receiving groove at the lower end of the foam door body. At this time, it is only necessary to directly stick and fix the front panel to the front side of the foam door body through the adhesive layer.

It should be noted that in the solution of undetachable fixation and connection (fixation by applying an adhesive) of the front panel to the front side of the foam door body as compared with the solution of the detachable fixation and connection of the front panel to the front side of the foam door body, the foam door body itself is produced with the same set of molds, thereby facilitating the reduction of the production cost.

To conclude, the present invention provides a refrigerator door with a replaceable door panel, wherein the hook on the rear side of the front panel is detachably connected with the hook groove on the front side of the foam door body, the stopper in the hook groove elastically pushes and resists against the hook in the front-rear direction so that the front panel is attached to the front side of the foam door body, whereby the replacement of the front panel of the refrigerator door with the replaceable door panel is more convenient, and the appearance of the refrigerator door with the replaceable door panel is more beautiful.

It should be understood that although the description is described according to the embodiments, not every embodiment only comprises one independent technical solution, that such a description manner is only for the sake of clarity, that those skilled in the art should take the description as an integral part, and that the technical solutions in the embodiments may be suitably combined to form other embodiments understandable by those skilled in the art.

The detailed descriptions set forth above are merely specific illustrations of feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent embodiments or modifications that do not depart from the art spirit of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.