Patent Description:
Household appliance, preferable cooling appliances provided that has a housing comprises in particular an inner liner and an outer liner. The inner liner delimits in particular a storage space of the home appliance device. The storage space is in particular a space inside the home appliance device, which is provided for storing victuals. The outer liner delimits the home appliance device to an environment.

Further the housing comprises a housing frame on which, in a closed state of the home appliance door, a home appliance door of the home appliance device may rest in a flat position. In particular, the housing frame may preferably be directly connected to the inner liner and/or the outer liner.

The housing comprises in particular a outer liner. The outer liner is in particular configured for reducing a heat transfer between the inner liner and the outer liner. The outer liner connects the housing frame to the outer liner.

In particular, the inner liner, the outer liner, the housing frame and/or the outer liner together define the insulation space. The insulation space is in particular configured for reducing a heat transfer from an environment of the home appliance device to the storage space of the home appliance device.

The document <CIT> discloses a side element connecting the housing frame to the outer liner. For the purpose of improving an efficiency a home appliance device, in particular a home chiller appliance device, is proposed comprising: a housing delimiting an insulation space; a heating unit arranged inside the insulation space; and a heat transfer element arranged inside the insulation space, the heat transfer element contacting at least partly the heating unit and at least partly the housing for transferring heat from the heating unit to the housing.

Further relevant prior art can be found in <CIT>.

The invention provides an additional improvement, an additional advantage or an alternative to the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide safe and rigid assembly of the housing of a cooling device.

This object is achieved with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous further developments are the subject-matter of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

In order to achieve the objects, the invention is a household appliance having at least one compartment and a housing connection arrangement surrounding the compartment comprising; an outer liner facing outside, an inner liner spaced apart from the outer liner a housing frame, connected to the outer liner from one side and to the inner liner facing the compartment, from the other side, at least one elastic member provided on a region of the housing connection arrangement where the housing frame connects to the outer liner and at least one reinforcement member provided adjacent to the outer liner, the housing frame and the elastic member. The reinforcement member comprises a first connection lug which is at least partially being received by a portion of the elastic member from one side, and a second connection lug configured to be connected to the outer liner with a connection member, from the other side. Thus, rigidity of the household appliance is increased during the housing since the dropping of the reinforcement member is prevented.

Here, the household appliance can be a cooling, a cooking or a washing device. In the present invention, the appliance is a cooling device, especially a refrigerator.

Here, the connection element can be any kind of member, which provides connection of at least two parts, i.e. a rivet, a screw, a bolt.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the connection hole is provided on the reinforcement member for assembling the outer liner to the reinforcement member with a rivet connection which is applied from outside of the appliance. Thus, practical and safer mounting can be achieved during assembling of the appliance.

Here, the connection hole can be any kind of hole through which i.e. a rivet, a screw, a bolt can pass. Shape and size of said connection hole(s) can vary according to the type and size of the connection element.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the elastic member is made from thermoplastic material. Thus, elasticity of the system is increased additional to the increased durability of the housing arrangement connection.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement member is made of steel material. Thus, rigidity of the appliance is increased.

Here, the steel material can be any type of steel, such as a stainless steel.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the third channel of the elastic member at least partially receives the first connection lug in a loosely manner. Thus, good alignment and easy placement for the assembly can be provided.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the third channel has monolithic structure with the elastic member. Thus, the third channel is produced during the manufacturing of the elastic member. This provides low cost production advantages.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement member has at least one cut out to provide free area for insulation material to be filled. Thus, thermal insulation of the appliance is increased.

Here, the insulation material maybe any kind of material, such as a polyurethane that provides insulation between the compartment and outside of the cooling appliance.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, a bending is provided which is extending from the reinforcement member towards the housing frame for being filled with insulation material. Thus, insulation material can be filled easily to provide heat insulation.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the second connection lug has a connection hole for assembling the household appliance. Thus, assembly to the household appliance can be provided with any connection element by combining with these connection holes.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the first and second connection lugs extends essentially parallel to each other. Thus, easy alignment can be provided during mounting process.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the first and second connection lugs are provided so as to extend in the direction opposite to each other. Thus, combining with both the elastic member and the outer liner can be achieved.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement member is combined with the elastic member by shrink fitting. Thus, easy and practical assembly can be achieved by operator.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the first and second connection lugs have monolithic structure with the reinforcement member. Thus, fixation parts is provided without requiring extra material for attaching or gluing etc. This also increased the durability of the reinforcement member.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, home appliance is a cooling device, especially a refrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of assembling housing parts of a household appliance, comprising the steps of: assembling an elastic member with a housing frame by inserting the housing frame into a channel provided on one side of the elastic member, assembling a reinforcement member with the elastic member by inserting a first connection lug of the reinforcement member into a channel provided on the opposite side of the elastic member, assembling an outer liner with the reinforcement member by means of a connection hole on a second connection lug applied from outside of the appliance. Thus, practical and safe assembly of the housing parts of the household appliance is provided.

In this context, with the indications "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "horizontal", "vertical", "upward", "downward", "inner", "outer", "inward", "outward" etc. the positions and orientations given for intended use and intended arrangement of the cooling device and for a user then standing in front of the cooling device in a closed position and viewing in the direction of the device are indicated.

The figures, whose brief explanations are herewith provided, are solely intended for providing a better understanding of the present invention and are as such not intended to define the scope of protection or the context in which said scope is to be interpreted in the absence of the description.

In this detailed description, the subject matter is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.

With reference to <FIG>, this present invention is related to a cooling device having a storage chamber (not shown) the body (not shown) of the cooling device. The storage chamber includes a compartment (C) which are confining with at inner and outer liners (<NUM>,<NUM>) and a rear panel (not shown). At least one door (not shown) for opening and closing the storage chamber is disposed in front of the storage chamber. For mounting the door, a housing frame (<NUM>) is provided. During the assembly of all those housing parts to produce a household appliance (A), additional support members are required which are the elastic member (<NUM>) and the reinforcement member (<NUM>) as can be seen from <FIG>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the elastic member (<NUM>) is assembled to the housing frame (<NUM>) firstly. The elastic member (<NUM>) has three channels (8a, 8b, 8c), wherein a first channel (8a) and a second channel (8b) are placed in the opposite direction with each other for being connected to the outer liner (<NUM>) from one side and to the housing frame (<NUM>) from the other side. Hence, assembling of the outer liner (<NUM>) and the housing frame (<NUM>) is achieved by means of the first channel (8a) and the second channel (8b) provided on the elastic member (<NUM>). The elastic member (<NUM>) can be made from thermoplastic material, probable recycled polystyrene. This material increases the elasticity of the assembly part during mounting process and also increase the durability of the household appliance (A). The first channel (8a) and the second channel (8b) also have a monolithic structure with the elastic member (<NUM>) and are produced by molding.

Then, the reinforcement member (<NUM>) is combined to the elastic member (<NUM>) which can be seen from <FIG>,<FIG> and <FIG>, preferably by shrink fitting. The reinforcement member (<NUM>) comprises at least one first connection lug (<NUM>) and at least one second connection lug (<NUM>) provided thereon. The first connection lug (<NUM>) is extending from the reinforcement member (<NUM>) towards to the elastic member (<NUM>) as being significantly parallel to the outer liner (<NUM>) and the elastic member (<NUM>) for combining with the third channel (8c) on the elastic member (<NUM>) in a loosely manner. Similarly, the second connection lug (<NUM>) with a connection hole (<NUM>) thereon is also extending from the reinforcement member (<NUM>) towards to the outer liner (<NUM>) in opposite direction with the first connection lug (<NUM>) as being significantly parallel to the outer liner (<NUM>) and the elastic member (<NUM>) for connecting with the outer liner (<NUM>). The reinforcement member (<NUM>) is made of a steel material, preferably a stainless steel material to increasing the rigidity of the appliance (<NUM>). Additionally, the first and second connection lugs (<NUM>,<NUM>) have monolithic structure with the reinforcement member (<NUM>) which are formed by cutting and bending the relative part of the reinforcement member (<NUM>).

For the purpose of further improving durability, it is proposed that the reinforcement member (<NUM>) has connection holes (<NUM>) provided on the second connection lug (<NUM>). The connection hole (<NUM>) is provided on the reinforcement member (<NUM>) for assembling the outer liner (<NUM>) to the reinforcement member (<NUM>) by providing a rivet connection which can be applied from outside of the appliance (<NUM>) by operators.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, a bending (<NUM>) part is extending from the reinforcement member (<NUM>). The bending (<NUM>) creates extra space and is filled insulation material to provide heat insulation for the household appliance (A), especially for the cooking devices.

Claim 1:
A household appliance (A) having at least one compartment (C) and a housing connection arrangement (<NUM>) surrounding the compartment (C) comprising:
an outer liner (<NUM>) facing outside,
an inner liner (<NUM>) spaced apart from the outer liner (<NUM>) and facing the compartment (C),
a housing frame (<NUM>), connected to the outer liner (<NUM>) from one side and to the inner liner (<NUM>) from the other side,
at least one elastic member (<NUM>) provided on a region of the housing connection arrangement (<NUM>) where the housing frame (<NUM>) connects to the outer liner (<NUM>) and
at least one reinforcement member (<NUM>) provided adjacent to the outer liner (<NUM>), the housing frame (<NUM>) and the elastic member (<NUM>), wherein the elastic member (<NUM>) has three channels (8a,8b,8c), wherein a first channel (8a) and a second channel (8b) are placed in the opposite direction with each other for being connected to the outer liner (<NUM>) from one side and to the housing frame (<NUM>) from the other side, such that the connection of the outer liner (<NUM>) and the housing frame (<NUM>) is achieved by means of the first channel (8a) and the second channel (8b) provided on the elastic member (<NUM>), and in that the reinforcement member (<NUM>) comprises a first connection lug (<NUM>) which is at least partially being received by a portion of the elastic member (<NUM>) from one side by being inserting into a third channel (8c) of the elastic member (<NUM>), and a second connection lug (<NUM>) connected to the outer liner (<NUM>) with a connection member, from the other side.