JP3023334B2 - Front panel structure for refrigerators, etc. - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a front panel which is detachably provided to a main body of a refrigerator or the like via an engaging means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Refrigerators in which a machine room is formed on the upper part of a main body in which a storage room for storing foods and the like is defined are preferably used particularly in the field of business use. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, on the upper part of the refrigerator main body 10 in which the storage room 10a is defined, four pillars 12 are fixed to the four corners by screws, respectively. Side panels 14 are screwed and fixed between 12, 12, respectively. A front panel 16 is detachably provided between a pair of columns 12, 12 which are separated from each other on the front side, and a compressor and a condenser are provided in a machine room 18 surrounded by these three panels 14, 14, 16. A refrigeration mechanism 20 including a vessel and the like is arranged.

The front panel 16 is constituted by arranging side plates 22 on both left and right ends of a panel body 16a, respectively.
Engagement means are provided for attachment to 2,2. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, an arm member 24 made of metal or resin is swaged and fixed to the upper part of the side plate 22 via a rivet 28 inserted from the outside into a plurality of holes 26 formed in the side plate 22. I have. The arm member 24 has a hook portion 24a bent in a hook shape extending rearward (from the side of the machine room) by a required length from the side plate 22. The hook portion 24a is formed at an upper portion of the support column 12. It is configured to engage with a notch (not shown) in a detachable manner. A rivet 32 inserted from the outside into a plurality of holes 30 formed in the side plate 22 is provided below the side plate 22.
L-shaped bracket 34 is fixed by caulking. Then, a holder 36 attached to a surface of the bracket 34 facing the column 12 is detachably engaged with an engagement projection 38 projecting from a corresponding portion of the column 12. That is, when the lower part of the front panel 16 is turned toward the column 12 as shown in FIG. 10 in a state where the hook 24a of the arm member 24 is engaged with the notch of the column 12, the holder 36 is The panel 16 is fixed to the column 12 by engaging with the engaging projection 38.

[0004]

When the front panel 16 is rotated or engaged with the column 12 via the arm member 24, a large load is applied to the fixing portion between the arm member 24 and the side plate 22. Is added. Therefore, the arm member 24 and the side plate 22
Is required to be firmly fixed through a plurality of rivets 28, and a disadvantage that the number of parts increases is pointed out. Even if the rivet 28 is fixed via a plurality of rivets 28, the fixing portion (the caulking position of the rivet 28) is small in area.
By the load at the time of rotation or engagement of the front panel 16,
The resin side plate 22 may be cracked or the rivet 28
Had the problem of falling off. Therefore, it is necessary to use a rigid side plate 22 having a large thickness dimension, which raises a problem that the cost increases.

The side plate 22 is provided on the front panel 16.
A rivet hole 26 is formed in the mounting position of the arm member 24 in accordance with the disposition side so that it can be used on either the left or right side of the panel body 16a. For this reason,
A plurality of unused holes 26 are visible from the outside, and the heads of the plurality of rivets 28 used for fixing the arm members 24 are also visible from the outside, which indicates that the appearance is poor. You.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks inherent in the prior art, and has been proposed to solve the problem suitably. An object of the present invention is to provide a good-looking refrigerator front panel structure that can reduce the number of attaching steps.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the intended object, the present invention provides a panel main body and two sides thereof which are detachably mounted on a front surface of a main body of a refrigerator or the like.
In front panel that consists of a pair of side members being disposed on said on side closing surface of each side member, a fitted base in disengageably arms member engaging portion formed on the body A receiving portion defining an allowable pocket portion is formed, and the base portion and the side closing surface are fixed by fixing means while the base portion of the arm member is inserted into the pocket portion of the receiving portion. .

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a front panel structure of a refrigerator or the like according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments. In addition, about the same member already shown in the refrigerator demonstrated in connection with FIGS.
It shall be indicated by the same code.

FIG. 1 shows a front panel 16 according to an embodiment.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the panel 16, wherein the panel 16 includes a panel body 16 a and a pair of side members 4 disposed on both sides thereof.
0,40. Each of the side members 40, 40 is formed symmetrically with respect to the center in the length direction, and can be selectively used for the left side and the right side of the panel body 16a by being turned upside down. I have. Therefore,
The configuration of the side member 40 used on the left side when viewed from the front side of the front panel 16 will be described. Note that the same parts located above and below the center in the length direction are denoted by the same reference numerals, but are distinguished by adding “upper” and “lower” to their names. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the side member 40 is a resin injection-molded product. As shown in FIG. 2, an inner rear edge of the main body 40a which is fitted to the side of the panel main body 16a is opposed to the panel main body 16a. A flange 42 extending rearward is formed over the required length on the edge facing the chamber). When the front panel 16 is attached to the columns 12, 12, the flange 42 functions as a side closing surface that closes the side. A rectangular upper receiving portion 46 that defines an upper pocket portion 44 between the upper inner surface of the flange 42 and the inner surface is formed in parallel. Upper pocket part 4
Numeral 4 is open upward and rearward so that a rectangular base portion 24b of the arm member 24 having the hook portion 24a is removably fitted therein. As shown in FIG. 3, only one rivet hole 42a is formed in the flange 42 facing above the upper pocket portion 44, and one rivet 48 as a fixing means inserted from the outside into the hole 42a. The arm member 24 is fixed to the side member 40. In this case, the base 24b of the arm member 24 is
The arm member 24 with respect to the support 12.
The force generated when the front panel 16 is rotated or engaged via the rivet 48 is distributed not only to the fixing portion by the rivet 48 but also to the entire upper pocket portion 44 to prevent the side member 40 from cracking and the rivet 48 from falling off. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 2, a lower pocket portion 44 that opens downward and rearward through a lower receiving portion 46 is defined below the flange 42. The lower pocket portion 44 is not used when the side member 40 is used for the left side, and the arm member 24 is not attached (see FIG. 5).

Above the lower receiving portion 46, a lower engaging projection 50 extending inward from the flange 42 by a required length is integrally formed via a side surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower engagement projection 50 includes a base 50a formed in a rectangular plate shape, and a projection 50b projecting from a rear surface side of the base 50a, and includes the base 50a and the projection 50b. Are fixed to the flange 42. The projection 50b is engaged with a holder 52 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) disposed on the column 12 so as to be freely detachable. The base 50a of the lower engaging projection 50 is also connected to the lower receiving part 46, and the engaging projection 50 is firmly fixed to the flange 42,
It is possible to prevent breakage due to the force applied when the b is disengaged from the holder 52. A similar upper engaging projection 50 is formed below the upper receiving portion 46, and this upper engaging projection 50 is not used when the lower engaging projection 50 is used.
The bases 50a, 50a of the two engagement projections 50, 50 are shown in FIG.
Are connected by the ribs 54 as shown in FIG.
0.50 reinforcement is achieved.

A plurality of guide members 56 project from the upper and lower ends of the main body 40a and the inside of the front side of the side member 40, and guide the guide members 56 when attaching the side member 40 to the panel main body 16a. Panel body 4 by action
The side member 40 can be accurately attached to 6a.

As shown in FIG. 4, a notch as an engaging portion is formed at a position corresponding to the arm member 24 provided on the side member 40 at an upper portion of the front support column 12 provided on the upper portion of the refrigerator body 10. The front panel 16 is mounted on the support 1 with the arm member 24 engaged with the notch 12a.
2 is mounted parallel to the front face. In the lower part of the column 12, a projection 50 of a lower engagement projection 50 formed on the side member 40 is provided.
b, a holder 52 is provided at a position corresponding to b.
The projection 50b is configured to engage with the second engagement pieces 52a, 52a in a detachable manner. When the front panel 16 is rotated in a direction in which the lower end is separated from the column 12 with the engagement point between the arm member 24 and the notch portion 12a as a fulcrum, the hook portion 24a of the arm member 24 corresponds to the column 12. The panel 16 is allowed to rotate by being inserted into the through hole 12b formed in the panel 16.

As described above, the side member 40 according to the embodiment includes the column 1
Since the engaging projections 50 that can be engaged and disengaged are integrally formed with the holder 52 disposed in the second section 2, the strength is increased, and the force applied when the engaging projections 50 are engaged and disengaged from the holder 52 causes bending or cracking. Can be prevented. Also, the projection 5 of the engagement projection 50
Since Ob has a required length, engagement with the holder 52 is facilitated. Furthermore, there is no need to assemble the engagement projections 50 on site, so that the working time can be shortened, and there is an advantage that the appearance is improved because no rivets are used.

Further, the arm member 24 can be securely fixed to the side member 40 with one rivet 48, and the force applied via the arm member 24 can be dispersed and supported by the entire pocket portion 44. , Cracks in the side members 40 and rivets 48
Can be prevented from falling off. Also rivets 48
There is an advantage that the working efficiency can be improved because the number of used units and the number of working steps are reduced. Further, since the number of the rivet holes 42a is reduced, the number of the holes 42a seen from the outside side when not in use is reduced, so that the appearance can be improved.

[0017]

[Modification] FIG. 6 shows a modification of the side member 40, in which a holder 52 is formed integrally with the side member 40 so as to be detachable from an engaging projection provided on the support column 12. As shown in FIG. is there. That is, the rectangular base 5 is perpendicular to the flange 42.
2b is extended, and an engagement piece 52 is provided on the rear surface side of the base 52b.
a, 52a are formed. Also in this modification, it is possible to effectively prevent the holder 52 and the side member 40 from being damaged by the force applied when the holder 52 is engaged and disengaged from the engagement projection provided on the support 12. In the modification shown in FIG. 6 as well, the side member 40 has a vertically symmetric structure with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the pocket portion 44 and the arm member 24 of the side member 40. The pocket portion 44 shown in FIG. 7A is opened only to the rear, and the base 24b of the arm member 24 formed corresponding to the pocket portion 44 is configured to be inserted into the pocket portion 44 from the rear side. FIG.
In the modification of (a), the receiving portion 46 has a rivet hole 46a.
The rivet 48 inserted through the hole 42 a of the flange 42 is inserted through the hole 46 a of the receiving portion 46. The pocket 44 shown in FIG. 7B is opened only upward, and the base 24b of the arm member 24 formed so as to correspond to the opening is fitted into the pocket 44 from above. In any of the modifications, the arm member 2
Since the base 24b of the fourth member is supported by the entire pocket portion 44, breakage of the resin side member 40 is effectively prevented.

[0019]

As described above, according to the front panel structure of the refrigerator or the like according to the present invention, the pocket portion into which the base of the arm member is inserted is formed on the side closing surface of the front panel.
Since the formation of the receiving portion forms, can it to support and distribute the force applied via the the arm member across the pocket portion,
Cracking of the front panel, falling off of the fixing means, and the like can be prevented. Further, since the number of fixing means used can be reduced, the number of work steps is also reduced, and there is an advantage that work efficiency can be improved. Further, since the number of fixing means is reduced, there are advantages such as cost reduction and improved appearance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a front panel according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a side member according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of a side member according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a main part showing a relationship between a front panel and a support according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where a side member of the front panel according to the embodiment is attached to a column.

FIG. 6 is an essential part perspective view showing a modification of the side member according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a modified example of the pocket portion and the arm member of the side member according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a refrigerator according to the related art in an exploded state.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a side plate provided on a front panel according to the related art.

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a front panel according to the related art is attached to a column.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Refrigerator main body, 12a ... Notch part (engagement part), 16 ... Front panel 16a ... Panel main body , 24 ... Arm members, 24b ... Base part, 4
0 ... side member 42 ... flange (side closed surface), 44 ... pocket part , 46
… Receiving part 48… Rivets (fixing means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-156277 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F25D 23/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A panel body (16a) and a panel body (16a), which are detachably mounted on the front surface of a body (10) of a refrigerator or the like.
In front panel that consists of a pair of side members (40, 40) which is, the on side closing surface (42) of each side member (40), said body (10) which is formed in the engaging portion (12a ) Defines a pocket portion (44) that allows the base portion (24b) to be inserted into and detachable from the arm member (24).
The receiving portion (46) is formed, and the base portion (2) of the arm member (24) is formed in the pocket portion (44) of the receiving portion (46).
A front panel structure for a refrigerator or the like, wherein the base (24b) and the side closing surface (42) are fixed by fixing means (48) with the 4b) inserted.