Patent ID: 12234683

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS.1through7D, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

The embodiments set forth herein and illustrated in the configuration of the present disclosure are only the most preferred embodiments, and it should be understood that they may be replaced with various equivalents and modifications at the time of the disclosure.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts or components.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

It will be further understood that the terms “include”, “comprise” and/or “have” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. The above terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

For example, a first component discussed below could be termed a second component, and similarly, the second component may be termed the first component without departing from the teachings of this disclosure. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terms “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “top”, and “bottom” as herein used are defined with respect to the drawings, but the terms may not restrict the shape and position of the respective components.

Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG.1is a perspective view illustrating a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The following description may assume that the home appliance is an oven, but the home appliance according to the disclosure may be variously provided without limitation as long as it can include a door.

Referring toFIG.1, an oven1may include a main body10including an inner case and an outer case20. A plurality of chambers30and30amay be formed in the inner case. The outer case20is coupled to the outside of the inner case to form the external appearance of the oven1. The inner case and the outer case20may each have a substantially box shape with an open front.

The plurality of chambers30and30amay include a first chamber30and a second chamber30a. The first chamber30may be formed on the second chamber30a. The plurality of chambers30and30amay be used as a cooking room. In addition, the plurality of chambers30and30amay be used for various uses, such as storing food.

The oven1may include a plurality of doors100and100aprovided on a front side of the main body10to open and close the plurality of chambers30and30a, respectively. The plurality of doors100and100amay include a first door100that opens and closes the first chamber30and a second door100athat opens and closes the second chamber30a.

The first door100may include a first front glass130through which the inside of the oven1is viewed from the outside. The second door100amay also include a second front glass130a.

The first door100may have a first door handle110at an upper portion of a front surface thereof to be gripped by a user so that the first door100opens and closes the first chamber30. The second door100amay also have a second door handle110aat an upper portion of a front surface thereof to be gripped by a user so that the second door100amay open and close the second chamber30a.

Various parts constituting the oven1may be included in a space between the inner case in which the plurality of chambers30and30aare formed and the outer case20forming the external appearance of the oven1. In addition, a machine room may be provided to accommodate machine parts that control the operation of various accessories.

InFIG.1, the oven1has been illustrated as including a plurality of doors100and100aand a plurality chambers30and30a, but the number of the door100and the chamber is not limited thereto, the concept of the disclosure may be applied to an oven having a single door100and a single chamber.

FIG.2is a rear side perspective view illustrating the first door100of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring toFIGS.1and2, the first door100(hereinafter, referred to as a door) may include a chassis200that forms the external appearance of the door100. The chassis200may include a front panel210forming the front surface of the door100. The chassis200may be provided in a substantially box shape by bending edges of the front panel210. The detailed structure of the chassis200will be described below.

Referring toFIG.2, the door100may include a rear glass160and a fixing frame150for fixing the rear glass160. The rear glass160may be accommodated inside the fixed frame150. In addition, the rear glass160may be disposed to seal the first chamber30.

The door100may include a rear panel140. The rear panel140may be mounted on the rear of the door100to form a part of a rear surface of the door100. The rear panel140may cover other components included in the door100to neatly form the rear appearance of the door100.

The door100may include a plurality of locking devices120. The plurality of locking devices120may be provided on the door100so that the door100is fixed to and unfixed from the main body10. The plurality of locking devices120may be accommodated at an inside of the rear panel140. InFIG.2, the locking device120is provided in a plural, but the number of the locking device120is not limited thereto, and the door100may include a single locking device120.

The door100may include a cover member500at a corner. The cover member500may be attached to the chassis200to cover a sharp cut surface of the chassis200of the door100. With such a configuration, the user is prevented from being injured by the cut surface of the chassis200. Detailed configuration related to a corner of the door100will be described below.

The following description is made in relation to the first door100as an example with reference toFIGS.2to7D, but the same configuration may be applied to the second door100a.

FIG.3is an enlarged perspective view illustrating part A ofFIG.2, in which some components of the door100are disassembled.

Referring toFIGS.2and3, the door100may include the chassis200that forms a front surface, an upper surface, a lower surface, a side surface, and a part of a rear surface of the door100.

The chassis200may include the front panel210forming the front surface of the door100. The front panel210may be composed of a single panel. The chassis200210may be formed in a partially open box shape by bending edges of the front panel210.

The chassis200may include a plurality of flanges formed from the front panel210in a bent shape. The chassis200may include a first upper flange220formed by bending an upper side of the front panel210to form the upper surface of the door100. The first upper flange220may be bent in an inward direction of the door100. The inward direction may be a direction toward the chamber30of the oven1. The chassis200may include a second upper flange240that is formed by bending the first upper flange220in the inward direction of the door100to form a part of the rear surface of the door100. The front panel210may be provided substantially perpendicular to the first upper flange220, and the first upper flange220may be provided substantially perpendicular to the second upper flange240.

The chassis200may include a first side flange230that is formed by bending a lateral side of the front panel210to form the side surface of the door100. The first side flange230may be bent in the inward direction of the door100. The chassis200may include a second side flange250that is formed by bending the first side flange230in the inward direction of the door100to form a part of the rear surface of the door100. The front panel210may be provided substantially perpendicular to the first side flange230, and the first side flange230may be provided substantially perpendicular to the second side flange250.

The chassis200may include an incision portion260formed by cutting the chassis200for bending the front panel210. The incision portion260may be formed at a corner side of the chassis200.

The incision portion260may include a first incision portion261formed between the first upper flange220and the first side flange230. The incision portion260may include a second incision portion262formed between the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

The second upper flange240and the second side flange250formed by bending the front panel210may be provided on the same plane. The second upper flange240and the second side flange250may form parts of the rear surface of the door100. The second upper flange240and the second side flange250may include respective insertion holes241and251into which a fixing member300is inserted. In addition, the second side flange250may include a coupling hole253into which the cover member500is inserted.

The door100may include the fixing member300coupled to the chassis200to hold the front panel210in a bent shape. Specifically, the fixing member300may be inserted into and fixed to the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

The fixing member300may include a body310. The body310may be provided in parallel with the second upper flange240and the second side flange250while in close contact with the second upper flange240and the second side flange250. The body310may be formed with a first fastening hole333so that the fixing member300is coupled to the second side flange250.

The fixing member300may include a plurality of extending portions extending in a direction perpendicular to the body310so as to be inserted into the respective insertion holes of the second upper flange240and the second side flange250. The plurality of extending portions may include a first extending portion320inserted into the insertion hole241of the second upper flange240and a second extending portion330inserted into the insertion hole251of the second side flange250.

The second side flange250may include a second fastening hole222at a position corresponding to the first fastening hole333of the fixing member300. A coupling member400may pass through the first fastening hole333and the second fastening hole222to securely couple the fixing member300to the chassis200. The coupling member400may include a screw. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the coupling member may be provided as a rivet, or may be variously provided using any member for coupling.

The fixing member300may include a steel material on which pressing is performable.

The door100may include the cover member500provided to cover the incision portion260of the chassis200, the fixing member300, and the coupling member400. The cover member500may include a corner cover portion510and a rear cover portion520.

The corner cover portion510may be provided to cover the first incision portion261. The corner cover portion510may be formed to extend in the thickness direction of the door100to correspond to the shape of the first incision portion261to be seated in the first incision portion261.

The rear cover portion520may be provided to cover the second incision portion262and the fixing member300. In addition, the rear cover portion520may be provided to cover the coupling member400coupled to the fixing member300. The detailed shape of the cover member500will be described below.

InFIG.3, the door100has been illustrated as having a corner in which the front panel210is bent into a plurality of flanges forming parts of each of the upper surface, the side surface, and the rear surface of the door. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the front panel210may be bent to form the lower surface of the door100, and the corner of the door100may be formed at a different position.

FIG.4is a rear side perspective view illustrating the cover member500according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring toFIGS.3and4, the cover member500includes the corner cover portion510provided to cover the first incision portion261and the rear cover portion520provided to cover the second incision portion262.

The corner cover portion510may be seated on the first incision portion261to cover a sharp shear surface of the chassis200. The corner cover portion510may form the corner of the door100.

The corner cover portion510may include a first protrusion511that protrudes to interfere with an inner surface of the first upper flange220. The corner cover portion510may include a second protrusion512that protrudes to interfere with an inner surface of the first side flange230. The first protrusion511may have a protruding length longer than that of the second protrusion512.

A user may first insert the relatively long first protrusion511so as to interfere with the inner surface of the first upper flange220and rotate the cover member500to have the relatively short second protrusion512interfere with the inner surface of the first side flange230.

The first protrusion511and the second protrusion512are caught by the first upper flange220and the first side flange230to prevent the cover member500from being separated from the door100upwards.

In addition, when the cover member500is moved to the rear side of the door100, the first protrusion511and the second protrusion512may be caused to interfere with the second upper flange240and the second side flange250. With such a configuration, the cover member500may be prevented from being separated to the rear side of the door100. The corner cover portion510may be formed to extend in the thickness direction of the door100in a substantially columnar shape.

The rear cover portion520may include a guide protrusion522. The guide protrusion522may be formed to protrude from the rear cover portion520toward the chassis200. The guide protrusion522is inserted into the insertion hole251of the second side flange250to guide the mounting position of the cover member500. However, the guide protrusion522may be omitted as needed.

The rear cover portion520may include a coupling protrusion523. The coupling protrusion523may be formed to protrude from the rear cover portion520toward the chassis200. The coupling protrusion523may be inserted into the coupling hole253of the second side flange250. The coupling protrusion523is inserted into the coupling hole253so that the cover member500is stably mounted on the chassis200. The rear cover portion520may have a substantially quadrangular cap shape.

The cover member500may include a reinforcing rib530formed to support the corner cover portion510and the rear cover portion520. The reinforcing rib530may be formed to extend from a connection point of the corner cover portion510and the rear cover portion520to reinforce the rigidity of the cover member500. In addition, the reinforcing rib530may be inserted into a part of the first incision portion261and a part of the second incision portion262of the chassis200so that the cover member500is stably mounted to the chassis200.

The cover member500may include a synthetic resin material. The cover member500may be formed by injection molding or die casting.

With such a configuration of the cover member500, a user may be prevented from being injured by a sharp cross section of the chassis. In addition, the fixing member and the coupling member coupled to the rear surface are covered to provide the rear surface with a neat appearance, thereby improving the aesthetic quality.

FIG.5is a sectional view illustrating the corner of the door100according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring toFIG.5, the fixing member300may be inserted into the second upper flange240and the second side flange250. The coupling member400may be coupled to the fixing member300and the second side flange250. With such a configuration, the fixing member300may be fixed to the chassis.

The cover member500may cover the fixing member300and the coupling member400. Specifically, the rear cover portion520of the cover member500may include an accommodation space521for accommodating the fixing member300and the coupling member400therein. The rear cover portion520may be bonded to parts of the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

With such a structure in which the coupling member400is not directly coupled to the cover member500, load or stress concentration acting on the cover member500may be minimized. Therefore, durability, such as preventing a crack of the cover member500, may be secured.

FIG.6is a rear view illustrating a corner of the door100according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring toFIG.6, the corner cover portion510of the cover member500may be seated on the first incision portion261to cover the first incision portion261. An outer surface of the corner cover portion510may protrude a predetermined distance d outward of an outer surface of the first upper flange220. In addition, the corner cover portion510may protrude a predetermined distance d outward of an outer surface of the first side flange230.

With such a structure, a user may be prevented from being injured by a gap between the shear surface of the chassis200and the corner cover portion510.

The corner cover portion510may be formed to have a radius of curvature R such that the corner cover portion510forms a corner of the door100while covering the first incision portion261in a round shape. Without being formed by bending the chassis200, the corner of the door100may be formed have a predetermined radius of curvature R through the structure in which the corner cover portion510is seated on the first incision portion261of the chassis200. In addition, the radius of curvature R may be formed to be 2 mm or less. Therefore, the aesthetic quality of the corner of the door100may be improved.

FIG.7Ais a view illustrating a part of the chassis200according to the embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.7Bis a view illustrating a state in which the fixing member300is inserted into the chassis200according to the embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.7Cis a view illustrating a state in which the fixing member300is coupled to the chassis200according to the embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.7Dis a view illustrating a state in which the cover member500is coupled to the chassis200according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

The operation of the disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS.7A to7D.

Referring toFIG.7A, the door100may include the chassis200that forms the external appearance of the front surface, the side surface, and parts of the rear surface of the door100.

The chassis200may include the first upper flange220formed from an upper side of the front panel210in a bent shape and the second upper flange240formed from a lateral side of the front panel210in a bent shape. The chassis200may include the second upper flange240formed from the first upper flange220in a bent shape and a second side flange250formed from the first side flange230in a bent shape.

The second upper flange240may include the insertion hole241formed to allow the first extending portion320of the fixing member300to be inserted thereinto. The second side flange250may include the insertion hole251formed to allow the second extending portion330of the fixing member300to be inserted thereinto. The insertion hole251of the second side flange250may be formed to allow the guide protrusion522of the cover member500to be inserted thereinto. However, the space into which the guide protrusion522is inserted may be omitted as needed.

The second side flange250may include the second fastening hole222formed to allow the coupling member400to be coupled thereto. The second side flange250may include the coupling hole253formed to allow the coupling protrusion523of the cover member500to be inserted thereinto.

Referring toFIGS.7B and7C, the fixing member300may be inserted into the chassis200. Specifically, the first extending portion320of the fixing member300may be inserted into the insertion hole241of the second upper flange240, and the second extending portion330may be inserted into the insertion hole251of the second side flange250. The body310of the fixing member300may be placed in parallel with each upper side of the second upper flange240and the second side flange250while in close contact with each upper side of the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

The body310of the fixing member300may include the first fastening hole333. The coupling member400may be fastened through the first fastening hole333formed in the body310and the second fastening hole222formed in the second side flange250. By fastening the coupling member400, the coupling between the fixing member300and the chassis200may be secured.

The front panel210may be substantially perpendicular to the first upper flange220, and the first upper flange220may substantially perpendicular to the second upper flange240. The front panel210may be substantially perpendicular to the first side flange230, and the first side flange230may be substantially perpendicular to the second side flange250.

When such an angle is not properly formed in the process, the fixing member300may be inserted into the chassis200to correct the angle. In addition, the fixing member300may prevent the bent shape of the front panel210from being deformed by heat or external force. That is, the fixing member300serves to maintain the shape of the chassis200.

Referring toFIGS.7A and7D, the chassis200may include the incision portion260for bending the front panel210. The incision portion260may include the first incision portion261and the second incision portion262. The first incision portion261may be formed between the first upper flange220and the first side flange230. The second incision portion262may be formed between the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

The incision portion260may allow a sharp cross section of the chassis200to be exposed to the outside. The door100may include the cover member500to cover the sharp cross section of the chassis200.

The cover member500may include the corner cover portion510covering the first incision portion261and the rear cover portion520covering the second incision portion262. The corner cover portion510may be seated on the first incision portion261to form a corner of the door100. The rear cover portion520may cover the fixing member300and the coupling member400. The coupling protrusion523of the rear cover portion520is inserted into the coupling hole253of the second side flange250, and parts of the rear cover portion520are bonded and fixed to the second upper flange240and the second side flange250.

The rear cover portion520may include the accommodation space521for accommodating the fixing member300and the coupling member400therein.

As described above, the configuration of the fixing member500to handle a stress acting on the chassis200is separately provided from the configuration of the cover member50to cover the cross section of the chassis200and the fixing member300, so that the stress directly acting on the cover member500is minimized.

The fixing member300may include a steel material on which pressing molding is performable. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the fixing member300may include a material having a greater rigidity than a material of the cover member500.

With such a configuration, the manufacturing of the cover member500may be facilitated while improving the durability of the cover member500.

In addition, with the configuration of the cover member500, the corner of the door100may be formed to have a smooth surface without using welding. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the door100may be simplified. In addition, a constant level of quality may be guaranteed and the aesthetic quality of the door100may be improved.

As is apparent from the above, the cover member configured to cover the sharp incision portion formed on the chassis of the door can prevent a user from being injured by the sharp incision portion.

The manufacturing process of the door can be simplified by covering the incision portion without welding.

The chassis corner portion of the door is formed to have a small radius, so that the aesthetic quality of the door can be improved.

A stress acting on the cover member is minimized using a separate fixing member, so that the durability of the cover member can be secured.

Although the present disclosure has been described with various embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.