Refrigerator

{
  "publication_number": "US2023108392A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Refrigerator",
  "abstract": "A refrigerator of the present embodiment comprises: a cabinet for forming a storage space; and a door for opening/closing the storage space. The door comprises: a frame assembly in which a thermal insulation material is filled; and a panel assembly which is separably-coupled to the frame assembly and forms the front exterior of the door, wherein, in a state where the lower side of the panel assembly is supported on the lower side of the frame assembly, the upper side of the panel assembly is fixed to the upper side of the frame assembly.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet configured to define a storage space; and a door configured to open and close the storage space, wherein the door comprises: a frame assembly in which an insulator is filled; and a panel assembly detachably coupled to the frame assembly and configured to define an outer appearance of a front surface of the door, wherein, in a state in which a lower portion of the panel assembly is supported on a lower portion of the frame assembly, an upper portion of the panel assembly is fixed to an upper portion of the frame assembly. 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly comprises: a front frame; an upper frame connected to an upper portion of the front frame; and a lower frame connected to a lower portion of the front frame, wherein the panel assembly comprises: a panel; an upper bracket provided on an upper portion of a rear surface of the panel; and a lower bracket provided on a lower portion of the rear surface of the panel, wherein the lower bracket is coupled to the lower frame, and the upper bracket is coupled to the upper frame. 3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the lower frame comprises: a support end configured to support the panel assembly; and a lower protrusion extending upward from the support end and inserted into the lower bracket in a state in which the panel assembly is seated on the support end, wherein a lower insertion portion into which the lower protrusion is inserted is provided in the lower bracket. 4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the lower frame further comprises a lower coupling boss to which a screw passing through the support end is coupled. 5. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the lower bracket comprises an insertion portion having a bent shape, and the lower frame comprises a recessed portion into which the insertion portion is inserted. 6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the insertion portion comprises: a first extension portion extending backward from the rear surface of the panel; and a second extension portion bent from the first extension portion to extend downward, wherein the recessed portion comprises: a first recessed portion extending backward from a front surface of the lower frame; and a second recessed portion bent from the first recessed portion to extend downward, wherein the first extension portion is disposed in the first recessed portion, and the second extension portion is disposed in the second recessed portion. 7. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the upper bracket comprises: an upper adhesion portion adhering to the rear surface of the panel; and an upper coupling portion protruding backward from the upper adhesion portion, wherein the upper frame comprises an upper coupling portion configured to accommodate the upper coupling protrusion, and an upper coupling member passes through the upper coupling portion so as to be coupled to the upper coupling protrusion. 8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein a protrusion inclined surface that is inclinedly provided is disposed on a top surface of the upper coupling protrusion, and a screw hole to which the upper coupling member is coupled is defined in the protrusion inclined surface. 9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein an evacuation portion that is further inclined than the protrusion inclined surface to prevent the panel assembly from interfering with the upper frame when the panel assembly is mounted is defined in a rear end of the top surface of the upper coupling protrusion. 10. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the upper frame has a recessed space with an opened top surface, and the upper coupling portion is exposed to an inside of the recessed space so that the upper coupling member is coupled through the recessed space. 11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein a coupling portion inclined surface that has an inclination corresponding to the protrusion inclined surface and is in contact with the protrusion inclined surface is disposed on the upper coupling portion, and the upper coupling member is coupled to sequentially pass through the coupling portion inclined surface and the protrusion inclined surface. 12. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the upper frame comprises a cover configured to open and close the recessed space. 13. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the upper bracket comprises: an adhesion portion extending along an end of the panel; and an insertion protrusion provided in plurality at a regular interval along the adhesion portion, the insertion protrusion protruding to a front surface of the upper frame. 14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the upper frame is configured to define a circumferential surface of the door, and an insertion hole into which the insertion protrusion is inserted is defined in a front surface of the upper frame. 15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the upper frame comprises a recessed portion recessed from an outer surface thereof to communicate with the insertion hole, and the insertion protrusion passes through the insertion hole so as to be inserted into the recessed portion. 16. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the upper frame comprises a cover configured to shield the recessed portion, and a restriction protrusion extending to an inside of the recessed portion so as to be restricted with the insertion protrusion is disposed on the cover. 17. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein a through-hole that is penetrated vertically is defined in the insertion protrusion, and the restriction protrusion passes through the through-hole when the cover is mounted on the upper frame. 18. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein a coupling protrusion to which a screw passing through an inside of the recessed portion is coupled is disposed on the adhesion portion. 19. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the upper bracket comprises a seating portion protruding from the panel and seated on the upper frame, the upper frame comprises a support portion on which the seating portion is seated, and in a state in which the seating portion is seated on the support portion, the seating portion and the support portion are fixed by a screw. 20. The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the support portion comprises: a first surface defined by being recessed from a top surface of the upper frame; and a second surface defined by being recessed from a front surface of the upper frame, wherein the seating portion is seated on the first surface."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a refrigerator.\n\nIn general, refrigerators are home appliances for storing foods at low temperature in an inner storage space covered by a refrigerator door. Here, the inside of the storage space is cooled using cool air that is generated by being heat-exchanged with a refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle to store the foods in an optimal state.\n\nSuch refrigerators tend to increase more and more in size and provide multi-functions due to the trends of change of dietary life and high quality, and accordingly, refrigerators provided with various structures and convenience devices in consideration of user convenience are brought to the market.\n\nStructures that vary in outer appearance of a front surface of a door of the refrigerator are proposed to harmonize with an environment, in which the refrigerator is disposed, or surrounding furniture or home appliances.\n\nA structure in which a decor panel defining the outer appearance of the front surface of the door of the refrigerator is mounted is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,789,900. A structure, in which a plurality of bridges for restriction are disposed at both sides of the decoration panel, and brackets inserted into both ends of the door are coupled to the bridge so that the decoration panel is mounted, is disclosed.\n\nHowever, in the above-described technology according to the related art, since the plurality of brackets have to be mounted on the outside so as to mount the panel, productivity may be deteriorated, and an accurate mounting position may not be maintained according to workability of a worker.",
  "cpc": [
    "F25D 23/02",
    "A47B 77/08",
    "E06B 3/70",
    "F16B 12/12",
    "F16B 5/07",
    "F25D 23/028",
    "F25D 23/085",
    "F25D 23/10",
    "F25D 2400/18"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F25D 23/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LG Electronics Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "EuDdeum HONG",
    "Sangho JUNG",
    "Daekil KANG",
    "Jiwook MOON",
    "Gyunghyun PARK"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-02-26",
  "publication_date": "2023-04-06",
  "priority_date": "2020-02-26",
  "application_number": "US-202117802624-A",
  "family_id": "77490277",
  "cited_by_count": 8,
  "citations": [
    "EP0647821A1",
    "US20130026900A1",
    "US20200326119A1",
    "US20210055038A1",
    "US20230012438A1",
    "WO2021112658A1",
    "US20210318056A1",
    "US11774164B2",
    "US20230408170A1"
  ]
}