JP7475935B2 - Refrigerator door and refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator door and a refrigerator.

It is expected that refrigerator design and user convenience will be further improved.

JP 2015-87099 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator door and a refrigerator that are both stylish and convenient for the user.

A refrigerator door of an embodiment has a door main body attached to a drawer provided in a storage compartment of a refrigerator main body and closing the storage compartment in an openable and closable manner, a decorative panel provided on a front surface of the door main body, and a panel support portion provided on the door main body and supporting the decorative panel, the panel support portion supports the decorative panel with a front edge portion of the decorative panel exposed, the panel support portion has a handle portion that is formed in a groove shape on an upper portion of the door main body and has open portions formed on both ends of the door main body in a width direction, an upper end of the panel support portion is located at an upper end of the handle portion, the panel support portion has a locking claw that exposes a front end of an upper side surface of the decorative panel and covers a rear end, and the exposed portion of the upper side surface is exposed from the front end to a portion rearward of a middle portion in a front-to-rear direction.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the refrigerator door according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the refrigerator door according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the refrigerator door according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the refrigerator door according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator door and a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are given the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of components may be omitted. In this specification, left and right are defined based on the direction in which the refrigerator is viewed from a user standing in front of the refrigerator. The side closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator as viewed from the refrigerator is defined as the "front", and the side furthest from the user is defined as the "rear". In this specification, the "width direction" refers to the left and right direction as defined above. In this specification, the "front-rear direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the width direction as defined above, connecting the front and the rear. In this application, "A or B" is not limited to either A or B, but includes both A and B.

Figure 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of a refrigerator door 1 of the refrigerator 100 as viewed from the right side of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a revolving door 20 taken along line III-III in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. The refrigerator 100 includes a refrigerator body and multiple refrigerator doors 1. The refrigerator body includes a housing 105 and, although not shown, a known compressor, a cooling mechanism, a blower, a temperature sensor, a control device, etc.

A plurality of storage compartments are provided inside the housing 105. The plurality of storage compartments include, for example, a first refrigerator compartment 101, a second refrigerator compartment 102, and a freezer compartment 103. In the embodiment, the first refrigerator compartment 101 is arranged at the top, the second refrigerator compartment 102 is arranged below the first refrigerator compartment 101, and the freezer compartment 103 is arranged below the second refrigerator compartment 102. The arrangement of the storage compartments is not limited to the above example, and for example, the arrangement of the second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 103 may be reversed. The storage compartments are provided with storage shelves, storage containers, ice-making water storage containers, etc.

The second refrigerator compartment 102 is used as a vegetable compartment. The second refrigerator compartment 102 is kept at a refrigeration temperature range suitable for storing vegetables, for example, 1 to 5°C. The second refrigerator compartment 102 is not limited to a storage compartment with a storage environment suitable for vegetables, but may be a storage compartment set to the same refrigeration temperature range as the first refrigerator compartment 101 and equipped with a refrigeration function.

The freezer compartment 103 is kept cold at a freezing temperature range, for example, at or below -10°C. The second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 103 are configured so that the cold storage temperature can be switched freely from the freezing temperature range to the refrigeration temperature range. Therefore, the second refrigerator compartment can be used as a freezing compartment, and the freezer compartment 103 can be used as a refrigeration compartment.

The housing 105 has, for example, an inner box, an outer box, and an insulating section. The inner box forms the inner surface of the housing 105, and the outer box forms the outer surface of the housing 105. Between the inner box and the outer box, an insulating section containing a foam insulating material such as urethane foam is provided. The housing 105 has insulating properties. The housing 105 has an opening on the front side of each storage chamber that allows food to be put in and taken out of each storage chamber.

Refrigerator 100 is provided with refrigerator door 1. Refrigerator door 1 is a member that closes the opening of the storage compartment in an openable and closable manner. Refrigerator door 1 is provided at the front of housing 105. Refrigerator door 1 is, for example, a revolving door 20 and drawer doors 30 and 40.

The first refrigerator compartment 101 is provided with a revolving door 20. The second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 103 are each provided with a drawer 17. The drawer 17 constitutes a drawer-type storage section that can be opened and closed to move in the front-rear direction D within the second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 10. The drawer doors 30, 40 are front panels that are attached to the front of the drawer 17.

The revolving door 20, which is the refrigerator door 1, will be described. The revolving door 20 is rotatably attached to the housing 105. Axle supports 106, 107 are provided at the ends of the housing 105 in the width direction W, and at the top and bottom of the first refrigerator compartment 101. One end of the revolving door 20 in the width direction W is attached to the axle supports 106, 107, and is supported rotatably around the axle supports 106, 107. Although a single-wing revolving door 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1, a double-wing revolving door may also be used. In the case of a double-wing revolving door, the left and right revolving doors may be the same size, or a pair of revolving doors with different dimensions in the width direction W may also be used.

When the revolving door 20 is in the closed position, the revolving door 20 has a front surface that faces a user standing in front of the refrigerator 100, and a rear surface that faces the interior of the first refrigerator compartment 101. A decorative panel 62 is attached to the front surface. The rear surface is provided with multiple storage pockets.

The revolving door 20 includes a door body 21 and a decorative panel 62. The door body 21 is configured with a rear surface material 22 attached to the frame portion 5. In this example, the revolving door 20 is configured to cover the first refrigerator compartment 101, so the door body 21 has a size that allows it to close the front opening of the first refrigerator compartment 101.

As shown in FIG. 2, a gasket 16 is attached to the outer edge of the back surface of the door body 21. The gasket 16 is configured to close the gap between the door body 21 and the inner wall of the first refrigerator compartment 101 when the revolving door 20 is closed.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the frame 5. The frame 5 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and forms the framework of the door body 21. The frame 5 is formed into a rectangle by a main member 50 and a lower frame 52 fixed to the lower part of the main member 50. The main member 50 is integrally formed with an upper frame 51, a pair of vertical frames 53, and reinforcing bars 54. The frame 5 is, for example, a molded material made of resin or steel plate. The frame 5 may be formed from a single member, or may be configured such that all or part of the vertical frames, horizontal frames, and reinforcing bars are formed from separate members and assembled.

7 shows a horizontal cross section of the vertical frame 53. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, the vertical frame 53 includes a side wall 531, a front wall 532 and a rear wall 533. The side wall 531 is arranged to extend in the front-rear direction D. The front wall 532 extends inward from the front end of the side portion 531 along the width direction W. The rear wall 533 extends inward from the rear end of the side portion 531 along the width direction W. In other words, the outer ends of the front wall 532 and the rear wall 533 are connected by the side wall 531. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear end of the side wall 531 protrudes outward in the width direction W more than the front end. The outer end of the front wall 532 is located more inward in the width direction W than the outer end of the rear wall 533. The side wall 531 has a flat surface 531a extending forward from the end of the rear wall 533, and an inclined surface 531b inclined inward from the middle in the front-rear direction D toward the outer end of the front wall 532. A recess 4 recessed inward in the width direction W is formed at the connection between the front end of the side wall 531 and the front wall 532. The recess 4 is recessed inward in the width direction W behind the front wall 532, further inward than the outer end 534 of the front wall 532.

The recess 4 has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is recessed in an arc shape. The recess 4 may be formed recessed inward in the width direction W from the outer end 534 of the front wall 532.

The panel support portion 9 is formed integrally with the frame portion 5. The panel support portion 9 is formed at the front end portion of the frame portion 5. The panel support portion 9 is formed at the outer edge portion of the front walls 512, 522, and 532 of the frame portion 5. As shown in FIG. 7, the panel support portion 9 is formed to protrude slightly forward from the outer end in the width direction W of the front wall 532 of the vertical frame 53. The panel support portion 9 is formed to protrude slightly forward from the upper end of the front wall 512 of the upper frame 51 and the lower end of the front wall 522 of the lower frame 52. The front wall 532 is an example of a front portion of the panel support portion. The rear wall 533 is an example of a rear portion of the panel support portion.

As shown in FIG. 4, an approximately right-angled interior corner 535 is formed between the rear surface of the front wall 532 of the vertical frame 53 and the back surface of the side wall 531 at the position of the recess 4. An approximately right-angled interior corner 536 is formed between the back surface of the rear wall 533 of the vertical frame 53 and the back surface of the flat surface 531a of the side wall 531.

As shown in Figures 4 and 7, a reinforcing member 7 is provided on the inside of the vertical frame 53. The reinforcing member 7 is a member that reinforces the strength of the frame portion 5. The revolving door 20 has a large area because it covers the first refrigeration chamber 101. The revolving door 20 rotates when opening and closing, and is subjected to a load because refrigerated goods are stored in the storage shelf. Therefore, the reinforcing member 7 is provided to reinforce the strength of the frame portion 5 while reducing the weight of the revolving door 20.

The reinforcing member 7 is a long metal member such as a steel plate. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the reinforcing member 7 is composed of a main plate 74, a front piece 71, and a rear piece 72. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, the reinforcing member 7 has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is approximately Z-shaped. The front piece 71 and the rear piece 72 are perpendicular to the main plate 74 and extend in different directions. The dimension of the main plate 74 in the front-rear direction D is approximately equal to the distance between the front wall 532 and the rear wall 533 of the vertical frame 53. The reinforcing member 7 contacts the front wall 532 and the rear wall 533 of the vertical frame 53. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, the reinforcing member 7 is arranged in the vertical frame 53 so that the front end of the main plate 74 abuts against the inner corner 535 on the front wall 532 side of the side wall 531, and the outer end of the rear piece 72 is close to the inner corner 536 on the rear wall 533 side of the side wall 531. The front piece 71 of the reinforcing member 7 abuts against the front wall 532 of the vertical frame 53, and the rear piece 72 abuts against the rear wall 533.

The insulation material filling section 58 is formed in the gap between the reinforcing member 7 and the vertical frame 53. As shown in FIG. 6, the main plate 74 is formed with insulation material filling holes 73. The insulation material filling holes 73 are formed at intervals in the vertical direction V. The insulation material is filled into the insulation material filling section 58 through the insulation material filling holes 73. For example, a foam insulation material made of urethane or the like is filled into the insulation material filling section 58 through the insulation material filling holes 73 and solidified. By filling the insulation material filling section 58 with the foam insulation material, the insulation material is bonded to the vertical frame 53 and the reinforcing member 7, reinforcing the frame section 5. Even if the reinforcing member 7 is made of steel plate, the insulation performance of the revolving door 20 can be improved by filling it with insulation material.

When the insulation filling hole 73 is formed as multiple through holes, the insulation can be efficiently filled up to the upper and lower ends of the insulation filling section 58, and the insulation inside the insulation filling section 58 can be stably supported. The insulation filling hole 73 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 6 as long as it is formed penetrating the insulation filling section 58 so that the insulation can be filled with the insulation. For example, it may be a single through hole with a larger opening area than the insulation filling hole 73 shown in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper frame 51 is provided with an upper bearing portion 55 at its end in the width direction W. When the components of the frame portion 5 are common for right-opening and left-opening cases, the upper bearing portion 55 is provided at both ends of the upper frame in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8, the lower frame 52 is provided with a lower bearing portion 56 at its end in the width direction W. The reinforcing member 7 is positioned further outboard in the width direction W than the upper bearing portion 55 and the lower bearing portion 56.

Figure 8 is an oblique view of the revolving door 20 as viewed from the lower frame 52 side. As shown in Figure 8, the lower frame 52 is formed with a lower bearing portion 56 and a handle 57. The lower bearing portion 56 is formed at one end of the lower frame 52 in the width direction W, at a position corresponding to the pivot portions 106, 107. The handle 57 is formed in a groove shape recessed upward at the end opposite the lower bearing portion 56. The handle 57 is sized so that a user can insert their fingers into the groove to grip the revolving door 20 when opening or closing the revolving door 20.

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the vicinity of the lower bearing portion 56. Figures 10 and 11 show the lower bearing portion 56 as viewed from the rear of the revolving door 20, with the rear surface material 22 omitted. The lower bearing portion 56 includes a bearing 561, a screw fixing portion 562, and a guide wall 563. The screw fixing portion 562 is provided inside the bearing 561 in the width direction W. The guide wall 563 is a rectangular wall portion provided in a position surrounding the bearing 561 and the screw fixing portion 562. The guide wall 563 is formed by extending upward from the upper surface of the lower frame 52.

As shown in FIG. 9, a door retaining member 564 and a reinforcing plate 565 are provided below the lower frame 52. A bearing reinforcing member 566 is provided above the lower bearing portion 56. The reinforcing plate 565 is provided between the door retaining member 564 and the lower frame 52.

The door holding member 564 is a molded part made of resin. The reinforcing plate 565 is a flat part made of steel plate. The door holding member 564 and the reinforcing plate 565 are formed with screw holes 564a, 565a and shaft insertion holes 564b, 565b, respectively. The door holding member 564 and the reinforcing plate 565 are fixed to the lower frame 52 with screws 569, and the shafts of the shaft supports 106, 107 are inserted into the shaft insertion holes 564b, 565b of the door holding member 564 and the reinforcing plate 565, respectively, so that the revolving door 20 is rotatably supported by the shaft supports 106, 107. The reinforcing plate 565 has a higher rigidity than the lower frame 52. The reinforcing plate 565 is a part that prevents the lower bearing part 56 from bending and keeps it horizontal.

The bearing reinforcement member 566 is a steel plate-shaped member. The bearing reinforcement member 566 has a pair of engagement pieces 567, which are flat and generally L-shaped in front view, arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart in the front-rear direction D. As shown in FIG. 10, the engagement piece 567 includes a horizontal portion 567a, a vertical portion 567b, and a grip portion 567c. The pair of horizontal portions 567a are arranged so as to be able to fit inside the guide wall 563. The pair of vertical portions 567b are inserted into the gap between the bearing 561 and the inner surface of the vertical frame 53 so as to be able to be engaged. A connection portion 567d extending in the front-rear direction D is formed between the pair of vertical portions 567b. The pair of grip portions 567c are provided on the upper portion of the pair of horizontal portions 567a.

During assembly, when an operator grasps the pair of gripping portions 567c and pinches them toward each other, the pair of horizontal portions 567a bend and can be inserted into the guide wall 563. As shown in FIG. 10, the horizontal portions 567a are inserted from above the guide wall 563. When the operator releases the gripping of the gripping portions 567c, the horizontal portions 567a return to their original position and are pressed into the guide wall 563 to fit in. The bearing reinforcement member 566 has the connection portion 567d in contact with the inner surface of the side wall 531 of the vertical frame 53, and is fixed to the side wall 531 with a screw.

The bearing reinforcement member 566 has higher rigidity than the lower frame 52 and the vertical frame 53. The bearing reinforcement member 566 reinforces the connection between the lower frame 52 and the vertical frame 53. When the revolving door 20 is fully opened, a load in the rotational direction is applied to the bearing 561, but the bearing reinforcement member 566 provides sufficient load resistance. In addition, even if the lower frame 52 is damaged, for example, due to deterioration over a long period of use, the bearing reinforcement member 566 maintains the connection and maintains the pivoting state of the revolving door 20. The bearing reinforcement member 566 can be a common part whether the lower bearing portion 56 is provided on the right side or the left side of the width direction W of the lower frame 52.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the rear material 22 is a member that is attached to almost the entire rear area of the frame 5. The rear material 22 is attached inside in the width direction W from the rear end of the reinforcing member 7. The rear material 22 is a three-dimensional molded member made of thermally insulating resin. As shown in Figure 2, the rear material 22 has a portion that protrudes rearward from the frame 5. The rear material 22 is inserted into the first refrigerator compartment 101 when the revolving door 20 is closed. The rear material 22 is formed with a shelf engagement portion 23 that engages with a storage shelf or a removable storage shelf.

The decorative panel 6 is attached to the panel support portion 9 to cover the front of the door body. The decorative panel 6 is made of a substantially flat decorative material. The decorative panel 6 is, for example, a thin plate made of glass, fiber-reinforced resin, ceramic, artificial marble, or the like. The decorative panel 6 is given a color, pattern, and surface treatment in consideration of the design of the refrigerator. As an example, a glass decorative panel is shown below.

The decorative panel 62 is fixed to the front surface of the frame 5 with an adhesive. The outer edge of the rear surface of the decorative panel 62 abuts against the panel support 9, and adhesive is placed between the rear surface of the decorative panel 62 and the front wall 532 to fix it. There are no particular limitations on the adhesive, such as a spreadable adhesive or adhesive tape, as long as it is an adhesive material that can fix the decorative panel 6 to the front surface of the frame 5.

The space between the frame 5, the rear panel 22, and the decorative panel 62 is filled with foam insulation. The foam insulation also contacts the rear surface of the decorative panel 62. The foam insulation maintains a stable fixed state between the decorative panel 62 and the frame 5.

The side of the decorative panel 62 is arranged in the same plane as the outer peripheral edge of the front end of the frame portion 5. As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, in the width direction W, the lateral side 80 of the decorative panel 62 and the outer end 534 of the front wall 532 are arranged in the same position. Therefore, the side wall 531 of the frame portion 5 does not protrude outward from the end of the decorative panel 62 in the width direction W. The side wall 531 of the frame portion 5 is arranged in the same plane as the lateral side 80 of the decorative panel 62 or on the inside in the width direction W. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper side 83 of the decorative panel 62 is arranged at approximately the same height as the upper surface of the upper frame 51. The upper side 83 is arranged in approximately the same plane as the upper surface of the upper frame 51.

12 is a side view of the front part of the lower end of the revolving door 20. The panel support part 9 of the lower frame 52 is formed with a locking claw 92 that protrudes forward. The amount of forward protrusion of the locking claw 92 is shorter than the thickness of the decorative panel 62. The rear end 82 of the lower side surface 84 of the decorative panel 62 is supported by abutting on the locking claw 92. The front end 81 of the lower side surface 84 is located forward of the locking claw 92. The rear end of the lower side surface 84 is covered by the locking claw 92, and the other front part is exposed to the outside. The exposed part of the lower side surface 84 is exposed from the front end 81 to the rear of the middle part in the front-rear direction D. In the width direction W, the locking claw 92 is provided in a range narrower than the lower side surface 84 of the decorative panel 62. Therefore, the corner part of the front end of the width direction W of the lower end of the decorative panel 62 is exposed. When an adult user stands in front of the refrigerator 100, the lower side surface 84 is lower than the user's eyes. Therefore, the locking claw 92 is difficult for the user to see. As a result, the entire lower side surface of the decorative panel 62 appears to be exposed.

At least the front ends 81 of the lateral side surfaces 80, upper side surfaces 83, and lower side surfaces 84 on both sides of the width direction W of the decorative panel 62 are exposed and supported by the frame portion 5. That is, the frame portion 5 is disposed on the same plane as or inside the sides 80, 83 of the decorative panel 62, and the locking claws 92 support only the rear end 82 portion of the side surface 84 of the decorative panel 62. Therefore, the frame portion 5 is difficult for a user standing in front of the refrigerator compartment 101 to see, and a frameless appearance is obtained with only the decorative panel 62 exposed. As a result, the refrigerator door 1 has excellent design.

Since the recess 4 is formed in the side wall 531 of the frame 5, the decorative panel 62 appears to be separated from the side wall 531. As a result, the decorative panel 62 appears to be floating away from the frame 5. Therefore, the support that supports the decorative panel 62 is difficult to see, resulting in a frameless appearance. The revolving door 20 gives the visual effect of the decorative panel 62 floating away from the door.

Next, the drawer doors 30, 40, which are refrigerator doors 1, will be described. The drawer doors 30, 40 include a door body 21 provided at the front of the drawer 17, and decorative panels 63, 64. Since the drawer doors 30, 40 of the second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer 103 have the same configuration, the drawer door 30 of the second refrigerator compartment 102 will be described, and common parts will be given the same reference numerals. Figure 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the drawer door 30 in the front-rear direction D.

As shown in Figures 13 and 15, a handle 511 is formed on the upper frame 51. The handle 511 has a groove shape that is recessed downward between the middle part and the front end of the upper frame 51 in the front-rear direction D. The handle 511 is formed over the entire width direction W of the drawer door 30, and an opening is formed in each side wall 531. This allows good access to the part where the user grips the drawer door 30. As both ends of the handle 511 open towards the side wall 531, dust that has entered the inside of the handle 511 can be easily removed, making it easy to clean.

The handle 511 has a generally U-shaped cross section in the depth direction D. The handle 511 is open to the side, so it also has a generally U-shaped cross section in side view. That is, the bottom surface 511a of the handle 511 is generally perpendicular to a pair of vertical surfaces 511b, 511c that extend upward from the front and rear ends of the bottom surface 511a and face each other, and are at an angle that is close to a right angle. The boundary between the bottom surface 511a and each of the vertical surfaces 511b, 511c is formed with a small radius R surface. The handle 511 is composed of a linear rectangular recess. The handle 511 has a generally U-shaped cross section throughout the width direction W.

In the refrigerator door 1, the support portion of the decorative panel 63 is difficult to see from the outside. In addition, at the upper end portion of the drawer door 30, the support portion between the handle 511 and the vertical surface and the decorative panel 63 has a thickness at the same level as the thickness of the decorative panel 63. Therefore, the handle 511 has a generally U-shaped shape in side view, so that the decorative panel 63 of the drawer door 30 has a linear appearance. As shown in FIG. 15, a sense of unity between the decorative panel 63 and the handle 511 is obtained. In addition, because the handle 511 opens at both ends of the width direction W of the drawer door 30, the handle is easily visible to the user.

As shown in FIG. 16, the frame 5 is integrally formed with a generally rectangular frame when viewed from the front. As shown in FIG. 14, the side wall 531 of the frame 5 has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is generally the same as the side wall 531 of the revolving door 20. The reinforcing member 7 is attached to the inside of the side wall 531 of the frame 5, as in the revolving door 20. A heat insulating material filling portion 58 is formed between the reinforcing member 7 and the side wall 531. The drawer door 30 is provided with a rear surface material 24 for the drawer at the rear of the frame 5. The rear surface material 24 can be inserted into the opening of the second refrigerator compartment 102. A gasket 16 is attached to the outer edge of the rear surface of the door body 21. The gasket 16 is configured to close the gap between the door body 21 and the inner wall of the second refrigerator compartment 102 when the drawer door 30 is closed.

The panel support part 9 of the drawer door 30 is provided in front of the handle 511. Figure 17 is an enlarged side view of the upper part of the panel support part 9 of the drawer door 30. The upper end of the panel support part 9 is located at the upper end of the handle part 511. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the back surface of the upper end part of the panel support part 9 forms the front vertical surface 511b of the hand part 511. The panel support part 9 has a thickness approximately equal to that of the decorative panel 63. Because the thickness of the panel support part 9 is as thin as the decorative panel 63, the appearance of the handle part 511 gives a sense of unity between the panel support part 9 and the decorative panel 63.

13 and 17, a locking claw 93 is formed on the upper part of the panel support part 9, protruding slightly forward from the front wall 512 of the handle 511. The decorative panel 63 is a flat panel made of the same material as the decorative panel 62 of the revolving door 20. The amount of forward protrusion of the locking claw 93 is shorter than the thickness of the decorative panel 63. The rear end 82 of the upper side surface 83 of the decorative panel 63 abuts the lower part of the locking claw 93. The front end 81 of the upper side surface 83 is located forward of the locking claw 93. The panel support part 9 supports the decorative panel 63 with the front edge exposed. The front edge of the decorative panel 6 includes the front ends 81 of the side surfaces 80, 83, and 84. When the corners of the boundary between the front ends 81 of the side surfaces 80, 83, and 84 and the outer edge of the front surface of the decorative panel 6 are chamfered, the chamfered part is included in the front edge of the decorative panel 6. The upper side surface 83 has a rear end 82 covered by the locking claw 93, and the other front portion is exposed to the outside. The exposed portion of the upper side surface 83 is exposed from the front end 81 to the rear of the middle portion in the front-rear direction D. In the width direction W, the locking claw 93 is provided in a range narrower than the upper side surface 83 of the decorative panel 63. Therefore, the front corner of the upper end of the decorative panel 63 in the width direction W is exposed. Since the locking claw 93 is only slightly exposed at the rear of the decorative panel 63, a visual effect is obtained that the entire upper side surface 83 of the decorative panel 63 is exposed. The decorative panel 63 is supported by the panel support portion 9 with at least the front end 81 of the upper side surface 83 exposed and the rear end 82 covered by the locking claw 93.

When opening the drawer door 30, the user inserts his/her hand into the groove of the handle 511 and pulls it towards himself/herself. Because the rear end 82 of the upper side surface 83 of the decorative panel 63 is covered by the locking claw 93, the user does not directly touch the rear end 82 of the upper side surface 83 of the decorative panel 63 when opening the drawer door 30. This makes it pleasant to the touch. In addition, because the parts that are frequently touched by the user are covered by the locking claw 93, the decorative panel 63 can be protected.

18 is an enlarged side view of the lower part of the panel support part 9 of the drawer door 30. As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 18, a locking claw 94 is formed protruding forward from the lower end of the lower frame 52. The rear end 82 of the lower side surface 84 of the decorative panel 63 is supported by abutting on the locking claw 94. In FIG. 18, a gap is provided to take into account the dimensional tolerances in manufacturing, but the locking claw 94 functions to lock the rear end 82 of the decorative panel 63. At least the front end 81 of the lower side surface 84 is exposed and separated from the locking claw 94. When an adult user stands in front of the refrigerator 100, the lower side surface 84 of the decorative panel 63 is sufficiently lower than the user's eyes and is difficult to see. Therefore, even if the locking claw 94 protrudes forward from the locking claw 92 of the revolving door 20, the locking claw 94 is difficult to see. Therefore, even if the locking claws 94 protrude near the front end 81 of the decorative panel 63, the decorative panel 63 is frameless, giving it a unified appearance. In addition, the user's hands or stored items can be prevented from coming into contact with the lower part of the decorative panel 63 when moving the drawer door 30, opening and closing the lower freezer compartment 103, or taking items in and out of the storage.

In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the panel support portion 9 is integrally formed with the frame portion 5, but the configuration of the panel support portion is not limited to this example. The panel support portion only needs to be provided on the door body, and for example, the frame portion and the panel support portion may be configured as separate members, with the panel support portion fixed to the frame portion.

Since at least the front end 81 of the side surfaces 80, 83, 84 of the decorative panels 62, 63, 64 is exposed, the frame supporting the decorative panel 63 of the revolving door 20 and the drawer doors 30, 40 is difficult to see from the outside, and the revolving door 20 and the drawer doors 30, 40 have a frameless appearance. As a result, the refrigerator 100 has a distinctive appearance in which the supporting frame is not visible.

In the embodiment, an example is shown in which the locking claws are provided on the upper side surface 83 of the revolving door 20 provided at the top of the housing 105 and the lower side surface 84 of the drawer doors 30, 40 located below. It is not essential that the rear end 82 of the upper side surface 83 of the decorative panels 62, 63, 64 is covered by the locking claws 92, 93. For example, the upper side surface 83 of the refrigerator door provided at the top may also be configured such that the entire area of the upper side surface 83 in the front-to-rear direction D is exposed, similar to the lateral side surface 80, without using a locking claw.

In the embodiment, an example is shown in which three refrigerator doors 20, 30, and 40 are provided for the first refrigerator compartment 101, the second refrigerator compartment 102, and the freezer compartment 103, but the refrigerator is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, a refrigerator 100A having six refrigerator doors 1A may be provided with any number of refrigerator doors depending on the number and size of the storage compartments of the refrigerator. In the modified refrigerator 100A shown in FIG. 19, the first refrigerator compartment 101 is provided with double-opening revolving doors 201 and 202. As shown in FIG. 20, the revolving doors 201 and 202 are provided with a handle 57 in the center in the width direction W and are pivotally supported at both ends in the width direction W. A small freezer compartment 109 and an ice storage compartment 108 are provided between the second refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 103. The small freezer compartment 109 and the ice storage compartment 108 are provided with a drawer door 302 similar to the drawer door 30.

Since this refrigerator 100A also has a refrigerator door 1A similar to the above embodiment, the support of the decorative panel 6 is not noticeable from the outside, and the decorative panel 6 of each door 201, 202, 30, 302, 40 has a frameless appearance.

According to the embodiment, the refrigerator door 1 includes a door body 21, a frame portion 5, and decorative panels 63, 64. The panel support portion 9 supports the decorative panels 63, 64 with the front edges of the decorative panels 63, 64 exposed. Therefore, when the refrigerator door 1 is viewed from the front, the frame portion 5 is not noticeable, and the decorative panel 6 has a visual effect of floating away from the frame portion 5. As a result, the decorative panel 6 has a frameless appearance, and a refrigerator door 1 with a distinctive appearance is obtained.

According to the embodiment, the handle portion 511 is formed in a groove shape on the upper part of the door body 2 and is formed open at both ends in the width direction W of the door body 21, so that the user has good access to the part where he or she grips the drawer door 30. As both ends of the handle 511 are open on the side wall 531 side, dust that has entered the inside of the handle 511 can be easily removed, and cleaning is excellent. As the upper end of the panel support portion 9 is located at the front upper end of the handle portion 511, a sense of unity between the decorative panel 63 and the handle 511 is obtained.

According to the embodiment, the panel support portion 9 has a locking claw 93 that exposes the front portion 81 of the upper side surface of the decorative panels 63, 64 and covers the rear portion 82. As a result, the decorative panels 63, 64 are supported by the panel support portion 9 with a frameless appearance, and a refrigerator door 1 with a distinctive appearance can be provided.

According to the embodiment, the handle portion 511 has a generally U-shaped cross section in the depth direction D. As a result, the handle portion 511 has a linear appearance. In addition, the decorative panel 63 provided in front of the handle portion 511 and the panel support portion 9 having a thickness generally equal to that of the decorative panel 63 provide a sense of unity between the handle 511 and the decorative panel 63.

According to the embodiment, the refrigerator 100, 100A can be provided with the drawer doors 30, 40 described above, and therefore has a distinctive appearance with the drawer doors 30, 40 that have a frameless appearance.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

1, 1A, 20, 30, 40, 201, 202, 302... refrigerator door, 6, 62, 63, 64... decorative panel, 7... reinforcing member, 9... panel support, 21... door body, 511... handle, 93... locking claw, 100, 100A... refrigerator

Claims (4)

A door body that is attached to a drawer provided in a storage compartment of a refrigerator body and closes the storage compartment in an openable and closable manner;
A decorative panel provided on the front surface of the door body;
A panel support portion provided on the door body and supporting the decorative panel;
Equipped with
The panel support portion supports the decorative panel in a state in which a front end edge portion of the decorative panel is exposed,
A handle portion is formed in a groove shape on the upper portion of the door body, and an opening is formed at both ends of the door body in the width direction.
The upper end of the panel support portion is located at the upper end of the handle portion,
The panel support portion has a locking claw that exposes a front end of an upper side surface of the decorative panel and covers a rear end of the upper side surface of the decorative panel,
The exposed portion of the upper side surface is exposed from the front end to a position rearward beyond the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction . The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the handle portion has a substantially U-shaped cross section along a depth direction of the door body. 3. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the locking claw is narrower than that of the decorative panel . A refrigerator body including a storage compartment;
A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator door according to any one of claims 1 to 3 attached to the refrigerator body.

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