Patent Publication Number: US-11650002-B2

Title: Refrigerator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0101419, filed on Aug. 12, 2020. The disclosure of the prior application is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. 
     In general, refrigerators are home appliances for storing foods at a low temperature in an internal storage space that is shielded by a door. To this end, the refrigerator is configured such that foods are stored in an optimal state, by cooling the inside of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with refrigerant circulating in a refrigeration cycle. 
     The storage space of the refrigerator may be opened and closed by the door. In addition, the refrigerator may be classified into various types of refrigerators according to the arrangement shape of the storage space and the structure of a door for opening and closing the storage space. 
     On the other hand, doors disposed on the left and right or doors disposed on the upper and lower sides have different degrees of protrusions back and forth, thereby causing a front-and-rear step difference. 
     This may cause minute distortion of a door according to a refrigerator manufacturing process and assembly tolerance of a cabinet and a door. 
     Accordingly, it may lead to a defect in appearance of products according to the front-and-rear step difference of the door and may impair the sense of beauty of the overall appearance of the refrigerator. 
     Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1651139, which is a related art, discloses a refrigerator in which a step difference adjustment member includes a rotation body and a stopper protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the rotation body. 
     In the related art, at least three or more parts are required, and, when a step difference between the refrigerator doors occurs during use, a consumer has to purchase a new stopper and repair it. 
     Therefore, since it is not possible to immediately adjust the front-and-rear step difference of the door, it is difficult to cope with the front-and-rear step difference of the door during manufacture of the refrigerator, thereby reducing manufacturability. In addition, it is difficult to cope with the front-and-rear step difference of the door that may occur while the user uses the refrigerator, which may lead to product failure. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a refrigerator capable of adjusting a front-and-rear step difference between doors. 
     Selectively or additionally, the present embodiment provides a refrigerator capable of ensuring thermal insulation of a door in provision of a step difference adjustment member for adjusting a front-and-rear step difference between doors on the doors. 
     Selectively or additionally, the present embodiment provides a refrigerator capable of easily adjusting a front-and-rear step difference between doors while the refrigerator is installed and used. 
     A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a step difference adjustment member capable of adjusting a distance between each door and a cabinet such that a step difference does not occur between the plurality of doors. 
     In particular, the step difference adjustment member is provided on a rear surface of the door to be in contact with the front surface of the cabinet when the door is closed, thereby mitigating shock and preventing noise from being generated when the door is closed. 
     A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cabinet provided with a storage space, a door configured to open and close the storage space, and a step difference adjustment member provided on a rear surface of the door. The step difference adjustment member may include a stopper in contact with a front surface of the cabinet when the door is closed, and a mounting portion provided with an accommodation space, into which the stopper is inserted. 
     A protruding length of the stopper from the mounting portion may be adjusted through sliding movement of the stopper. 
     The mounting portion may include an opening opened toward the rear surface of the door, and the accommodation space in which the stopper inserted may be recessed from the opening. 
     The mounting portion may have different depths recessed from the opening in left and right directions. 
     The mounting portion may include an inclined portion forming the accommodation space and inclined with respect to the opening. 
     The mounting portion may include a pair of parallel side surfaces, and a length of one side surface may be greater than that of the other side surface. 
     The mounting portion may include protrusion ends protruding from the pair of side surfaces toward each other. 
     The stopper may slide between the protrusion ends to adjust a length of a portion of the stopper protruding from the rear surface of the door. 
     The mounting portion may include a seating surface on which the stopper is seated, and a plurality of projections protruding from the seating surface. 
     The stopper may be located and fixed between two adjacent projections among the plurality of projections. 
     The stopper may include a stopper body including irregularities in a surface in contact with the cabinet and recessed portions recessed inward from both side surfaces of the stopper body. 
     The recessed portions may be located between two adjacent projections among the plurality of projections, and a height of a protrusion of the plurality of projections may be less than that of the stopper body. 
     Distances from the rear surface of the door to the plurality of projections may be different. 
     The mounting portion may protrude backward from the rear surface of the door, and the stopper may be formed of an elastically deformable material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a view showing a state in which a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in a furniture cabinet. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a plan view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a rear view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view of a step difference adjustment member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a view showing a state in which a stopper is removed from the cross-sectional view of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a view showing a state in which a step difference adjustment member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is moved. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a door according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    is a view showing a state in which a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in a furniture cabinet,  FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG.  3    is a side view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  to  3   , the refrigerator  10  according to the present embodiment may be placed in a kitchen or living room independently or together with another refrigerator  5 . 
     A furniture cabinet  1  in which the refrigerators  5  and  10  are accommodated may be provided in the kitchen or living room. The height of the internal accommodation space of the furniture cabinet  1  may be set such that a gap between the upper surfaces of the refrigerators  5  and  10  and the upper wall of the furniture cabinet  1  is not large in a state in which the refrigerators  5  and  10  are accommodated. 
     When the gap between the upper surfaces of the refrigerators  5  and  10  and the upper wall of the furniture cabinet  1  is not large, the upper structures of the refrigerators  5  and  10  are not visible from the outside and the sense of unity of the furniture cabinet  1  and the refrigerators  5  and  10  may increase. 
     The refrigerator  10  may include a cabinet  11  including a storage compartment and a refrigerator door  12  for opening and closing the storage compartment. 
     A plurality of doors  12  may be provided and the number of doors may be correspond to the number of storage compartments. In addition, one door may be provided to open and close one storage compartment. 
     The door  12  may include a plurality of doors  13 ,  14  and  15  spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. Some or all of the plurality of doors  13 ,  14  and  15  may open and close the storage compartment in a sliding or rotation manner. 
     Specifically, the door  12  may include a first door  13  for opening and closing an upper storage compartment, a second door  14  for opening and closing a middle storage compartment and a third door  15  for opening and closing a lower storage compartment. 
     For example, the first door  13  may open and close the storage compartment in a rotation manner, and the second door  14  and the third door  15  may open and close the storage compartment in a sliding manner. 
     The door  12  may include a frame assembly  100  defining appearance and a door liner  150  coupled to the frame assembly  100  to define a rear surface of the refrigerator door  12 . 
     Meanwhile, a thermal insulation material (not shown) may be filled in a space formed by the frame assembly  100  and the door liner  150 . 
     In addition, the door  12  may be rotatably coupled to the cabinet  11  by a hinge device  16 , and may be provided to open and close the storage compartment by rotation. 
     The hinge device  16  rotatably connecting the door  12  to the cabinet  11  may be coupled to the frame assembly  100 . One side of the hinge device  16  may be coupled to the upper surface of the frame assembly  100 . 
     The frame assembly  100  may support the overall load of the door. For stable load support of the frame assembly  100 , the frame assembly  100  may be provided to have higher strength than the door liner  26 . 
     On the other hand, due to a difference between the magnetic force of a gasket and dispersion according to the manufacturing process of the refrigerator, a front-and-rear step difference may occur between a left door and a right door or an upper door and a lower door in a state in which the doors are closed. For example, a front-and-rear step difference may occur between the first door  13 , the second door  14  and the third door  15  disposed vertically. 
     Such a front-and-rear step difference may make the front surface of the refrigerator  1  appear to be distorted, greatly impairing external aesthetics. 
     In order to prevent such a problem, the door  12  is provided with a step difference adjustment member  20  for adjusting the front-and-rear step difference. 
     The step difference adjustment member  20  may be provided on at least one of doors disposed horizontally, at least one of doors disposed vertically or all doors. 
     The step difference adjustment member  20  may be provided on the rear surface of the door  12 , and a plurality of step difference adjustment members may be provided on one door. For example, the step difference adjustment member  20  may be provided the lower side of the rear surface of the door  12 . 
     Hereinafter, the step difference adjustment member  20  will be described in detail. 
       FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG.  6    is a plan view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG.  7    is a rear view of a lower frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , the door  12  may include the frame assembly  100  defining an external surface, a door liner  150  defining the rear surface of the frame assembly  100 , and a gasket  140  sealing between the frame assembly  100  and the door liner  150 . 
     Specifically, the frame assembly  100  may include an upper frame  110  defining an upper surface, a lower frame  130  defining a lower surface and a side frame  120  connecting the upper frame  110  with the lower frame  130 . 
     The lower frame  130  may be provided with a step difference adjustment member  20  for adjusting a step difference between the door  12  and the cabinet  11 . 
     Since the plurality of doors  12  is included, a difference may occur in the front-and-rear step difference between each door  12  and the cabinet  11 . 
     Specifically, referring to  FIG.  3   , a step difference may occur between the first door  13 , the second door  14  and the third door  15  disposed vertically, impairing the aesthetics of the external appearance and providing inconvenience to users. 
     Therefore, the doors  12  are respectively provided with the step difference adjustment members  20  such that the front surfaces of the doors  12  are located on the same plane. 
     Meanwhile, the step difference adjustment member  20  of the present disclosure may be disposed on the lower side of the door  12 . 
     Specifically, the step difference adjustment member  20  may be provided on the lower frame  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  5  to  7   , the rear surface of the lower frame  130  may be provided with the step difference adjustment member  20 . 
     Specifically, the lower frame  130  may include a vertical frame  131  defining a front surface and coupled to a front panel of the door  12  and a horizontal frame  132  bent from the vertical frame  131  to define a lower surface of the door  12 . 
     In addition, a lower frame rear surface  133  may be formed spaced apart from the vertical frame  131  and may be provided with the step difference adjustment member  20 . 
     In addition, the horizontal frame  132  may be further provided with a handle  134  recessed upward. 
     For example, a plurality of handles  134  may be provided and the door  12  may be opened and closed by inserting a user&#39;s hand into the upwardly recessed portion. 
     Meanwhile, a plurality of step difference adjustment members  20  may be provided on the lower frame rear surface  133  to be spaced apart from each other, and may protrude from the lower frame rear surface  133 . 
       FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view of a step difference adjustment member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG.  9    is a view showing a state in which a stopper is removed from the cross-sectional view of  FIG.  8   , and  FIG.  10    is a view showing a state in which a step difference adjustment member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is moved. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  8  to  10   , the step difference adjustment member  20  may include a mounting portion  200  formed to protrude toward the rear surface of the lower frame  130  and a stopper  300  inserted into the mounting portion  200 . 
     Specifically, the mounting portion  200  may include an opening  210  through which the stopper  300  is inserted in the rear surface of the lower frame  130 . 
     That is, the mounting portion  200  may include the opening  210  and have an accommodation space into which the stopper  300  is inserted. 
     Specifically, the mounting portion  200  may include a seating surface  211  in which the stopper  300  is seated in a vertical direction, and include a plurality of side surfaces connecting the seating surface  211 . 
     For example, a first side surface  213  and a second side surface  215  connecting the seating surface  211  at both sides may be included. 
     In addition, an inclined portion  212  connecting the seating surface  211  at an end of the space, into which the stopper  300  is inserted, may be further included. 
     For example, the length of the first side surface  213  may be less than that of the second side surface  215 . 
     Specifically, the inclined portion  213  connecting one end of each of the first side surface  213  and the second side surface  215  may include an inclination compared to the rear surface of the lower frame  130 . 
     That is, a horizontal cross-section of an adjustment portion  220  may have a trapezoidal shape in which a pair of side surfaces are parallel and another pair of side surfaces are not parallel. 
     In addition, the adjustment portion  220  parallel to the inclined portion  212  and spaced apart from the inside of the seating surface  211  may be further included. 
     A long cavity portion  217  may be formed between the inclined portion  212  and the adjustment portion  220  to form an open space. 
     For example, the long cavity portion  217  may be a component, into which a fixing portion  330  of the stopper  300  is inserted and fixed. 
     Meanwhile, the adjustment portion  220  may connect a first protrusion end  214  of the first side surface  213  and a second protrusion end  216  of the second side surface  215 . 
     In addition, the adjustment portion  220  may include a plurality of projections and a plurality of position surfaces on which the stopper  300  is seated. 
     Specifically, the stopper  300  may include a recessed portion  320  for preventing left and right movement, and the recessed portion  320  is seated on the adjustment portion  220  to adjust a step difference between the door  12  and the cabinet  11 . 
     That is, the stopper  300  is seated on the plurality of position surfaces to adjust the step difference between the door  12  and the cabinet  11  through a degree of protrusion of the stopper  300  according to the plurality of position surfaces. 
     For example, the adjustment portion  220  may include a first projection  222 , a second projection  224  and a third projection  226  spaced apart from each other and include a first position  221  formed between the first protrusion end  214  and the first projection  222 , a second position  223  formed between the first projection  222  and the second projection  224 , a third position  225  formed between the second projection  224  and the third projection  226 , and a fourth position  227  formed between the third projection  226  and the second protrusion end  216 . 
     Specifically, since the length of the first side surface  213  is less than that of the second side surface  215 , as the stopper  300  moves from the first position  221  to the fourth position  227 , a distance between the door  12  and the cabinet  11  may decrease. 
     That is, as the stopper  300  moves from the first position  221  to the fourth position  227 , the length of a outwardly protruding portion of the stopper  300  may be shortened. 
     In this case, since the degree of protrusion of the plurality of projections is less than the height of the stopper  300 , when a user applies force, movement between positions is possible. However, in general cases, left and right movement may be prevented by the plurality of projections. 
     Specifically, the length of protrusion of the stopper  300  toward the rear surface of the door  12  when the stopper  300  is positioned at the first position  221  may be a first length D 1 , the length of protrusion of the stopper  300  toward the rear surface of the door  12  when the stopper  300  is positioned at the second position  223  may be a second length D 2 , the length of protrusion of the stopper  300  toward the rear surface of the door  12  when the stopper  300  is positioned at the third position  225  may be a third length D 3 , and the length of protrusion of the stopper  300  toward the rear surface of the door  12  when the stopper  300  is positioned at the fourth position  227  may be a fourth length D 4 . 
     In addition, the magnitudes of the first length D 1 , the second length D 2 , the third length D 3  and the fourth length D 4  may decrease in this order. 
     Meanwhile, the stopper  300  may be formed of an elastic material, for example, rubber. 
     In addition, the stopper  300  may serve to mitigate collision between the door  12  and the cabinet  11 . Accordingly, a plurality of convex portions  311  and a plurality of grooves  312  may be formed in a front surface of the stopper body  310 . 
     That is, as irregularities are formed in the front surface of the stopper body  310  and the stopper is formed of an elastic material, it is possible to mitigate collision between the door  12  and the cabinet  11 . 
     In addition, as the stopper  300  is formed of an elastically deformable material, when the stopper is mounted in the mounting portion  200 , the stopper  300  may be easily mounted and detached by applying force thereto. 
     In addition, when the door  12  is closed, the stopper  300  is elastically deformed when being brought into contact with the front surface of the cabinet  11 , thereby absorbing shock and preventing noise from being generated. 
     In addition, the stopper  300  may include a recessed portion  320  having a size corresponding to a distance between the plurality of projections of the adjustment portion  220 . 
     The left-and-right length of the recessed portion  320  may be less than that of the stopper body  310 , thereby preventing the stopper  300  from moving in the front and rear direction. 
     In addition, the stopper  300  may further include a fixing portion  330  provided in the opposite direction of the stopper body  310  with respect to the recessed portion  320 , and the left-and-right length of the fixing portion  330  may also be greater than that of the recessed portion  320 . 
     That is, the stopper  300  may be located on the adjustment portion  220  with respect to the recessed portion  320  to prevent left-and-right movement and to adjust a front-and-rear step difference. The stopper body  310  and the fixing portion  330  may prevent front-and-rear movement of the stopper  330  and mitigate collision between the door  12  and the cabinet  11 . 
       FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a door according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG.  11   , even in the case of a sliding door such as the second door  14  or the third door  15 , step difference adjustment members  20  may be provided on the rear surface of a lower frame like the first door  13 . 
     Specifically, the second door  14  includes a frame  14   a  forming an outer surface, a door liner  14   b  is provided on a rear surface of the frame  14   a , and the step difference adjustment members  20  are disposed on a lower side of the frame  14   a.    
     The step difference adjustment members  20  may be spaced apart from each other and disposed close to the side surface of the frame  14   a  to adjust a front-and-rear step difference through sliding in the same manner as the step different adjustment member  20 . 
     According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a front-and-rear step difference between doors can be adjusted through simple operation of a step difference adjustment member provided on a rear surface of the door and thus a user can easily solve the front-and-rear step difference between the doors which may occur while using the refrigerator. 
     In addition, since a front-and-rear step difference which may occur due to dimensional tolerance between parts at the time of initial shipment of a refrigerator can be easily adjusted, manufacture can be easy. 
     In addition, since the step difference adjustment member is formed of an elastically deformable material, it is possible to absorb shock and prevent noise from being generated when the door is closed. 
     In addition, as the step difference adjustment member is provided, it is possible to adjust a front-and-rear step difference between doors and to ensure thermal insulation of the doors.