KR19990064085A - Door handle structure of refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigerator door handle structure comprising at least one door (2) hingedly supported at one side thereof so as to selectively open and close an entrance through the inside of the refrigerator compartment by moving between opening and closing positions around the hinge shaft (H). The door 2 includes a front panel 4, a rear panel facing each chamber of the refrigerator, and upper and lower frame members 3a and 3b, and the front and rear panels and the upper and lower frame members 3a, The heat insulating material 5 which filled the space part formed between 3b) is further included. The door handle structure comprises an elongate handle 6 which is firmly fixed to the opposite side away from the hinge axis H when viewed from the door 2. The handle 6 has a gripping portion 10 extending in the width direction of the door 2.

Description

Door handle structure of refrigerator

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the refrigerator includes at least one door hinged to open and close the refrigerator compartment selectively. In particular, not only the home refrigerator refrigerator compartment but also a freezer compartment, in which case each room has one door. Naturally, the door is provided with a handle for its operation.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-121943 discloses a door handle for a refrigerator door fixed to the refrigerator door in the manner as shown in FIG. According to FIG. 7, the refrigerator door 29 which can be used to selectively open and close the entrance to the refrigerator compartment includes a front panel 30 facing the outside of the refrigerator, a rear panel facing the refrigerator compartment, and a front panel facing the refrigerator compartment. It is a double-walled structure including a panel 30 and a generally rectangular outer circumferential wall integral with each other. The front channel 30 and the outer wall are manufactured by pressing a single steel sheet. The insulating foam 31 is filled between these front and rear panels.

A portion of the front panel 30 adjacent to the side away from the hinge axis when opening and closing the refrigerator door among the mutually opposing wall elements of the outer circumferential wall is recessed inward to form the pocket portion 32. The door handle 33 composed of a handle body and a device cover is fixed to the front panel 30 while being held on the pocket portion 32, so that the door handle 33 is opened to open the refrigerator door. In this case, the user can insert the hand between the bottom of the pocket 32 and the protrusion.

The prior art handle structure shown has several problems. First, there is a case in which the user who wants to open the refrigerator door sometimes takes a posture in a troubled position because of the limited degree of freedom of access to the door handle. In addition, the handle structure in the above prior art has a too narrow gripping area so that the handle itself is inferior in maneuverability. In addition, the handle structure is too complicated in shape and inconvenient to clean, and also makes it difficult to keep the refrigerator itself clean.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a door handle structure including a door handle that allows a user to selectively open and close the doorway to the inside of the refrigerator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be readily understood by the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the refrigerator door having a handle structure according to the present invention.

3 is a front view showing the handle structure of FIG.

4A-4C are back, top, and front views, respectively, of the handle structure.

5A and 5B are plan and front views of a decorative cover attached to the handle structure in an aesthetic sense.

FIG. 6A is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a method of attaching a reinforcing plate to the refrigerator door frame to reinforce the handle fixing of FIG. 2; FIG.

6B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG.

7 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a prior art handle structure.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to substantially solve the above-mentioned problems with the door handle structure of the prevailing technology, and assures a relatively large degree of freedom of access having a wide grip portion sufficient to increase the maneuverability of the refrigerator door. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door handle structure for a refrigerator.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide an improved door handle structure of the above type, which is that structure, that is, at one side end so as to extend in the refrigerator width direction from one end far from the hinge axis in the refrigerator door. And a fixed handle.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide an improved door handle structure of this type, which makes it easy to clean the gripping portion of the door handle, particularly from all directions above, below and side of the refrigerator. have.

In order to achieve these objects of the present invention, a type comprising at least one door hinged at one end thereof so as to selectively open and close the doorway through each chamber of the refrigerator as it moves between opening and closing positions around one hinge axis. Provides a door handle for the refrigerator. The door includes a front panel, a rear panel facing each chamber of the refrigerator, and upper and lower frame members, and further includes a heat insulating material filling a space formed between the front and rear panels and the upper and lower frame members. The door handle structure includes a generally elongated handle fixed at one end of the door away from its hinge axis. This handle has a gripping portion extending in the door width direction.

In the case of the above structure, the handle gripping portion extends in the door width direction so that the door handle can be grasped from above, below and side.

Preferably, a portion of the front panel lining up with the gripping portion is recessed inward, thereby minimizing the protrusion of the handle to the outside of the front panel by forming a pocket portion. In this case, access to the handle is further improved from above, below, and from the side of the door.

In order to more firmly fix the handle to the door, the handle one end is designed to be inserted into the lower frame member, while a handle supporting plate for supporting the handle inserted into the lower frame member is disposed inside the door. In this case, one iron plate may be padded on the screw fastening part.

As another preferred example, it is also possible to form a reinforcing bar on the surface of the one end of the handle to maintain the contact state with the iron plate. In addition, the handle may be treated with an antimicrobial agent in order to hygienically preserve the handle.

If desired, it is also possible to form a groove pattern on the grip gripping surface facing the front panel to minimize possible slippage between the handle and the user's hand.

First, an upright household refrigerator including a rectangular box-shaped casing 1 is shown in FIG. 1, the interior of which is divided into a plurality of compartments. The refrigerator in the figure consists of a top chamber, a bottom chamber and two intermediate chambers. The two intermediate chambers and the bottom chamber contain respective drawer boxes, which drawer boxes have front panels 22a, 22b or 22c, while the top chambers are closed by a conventional rectangular refrigerator door 2.

The refrigerator door (2) has a right side hinged to the box-shaped casing (1) to selectively open and close the door leading to the upper chamber, the top and bottom frame members (3a, 3b), and usually the front panel (4) and rear panel It comprises a door panel combination consisting of a heat insulating material (5) filling the space between the front panel (4) and the rear panel. The refrigerator door 2 has a generally elongated handle 6 fixed to the bottom edge of the bottom of the refrigerator door 2 such that it extends substantially horizontally from the left end to the right end by a distance in the width direction thereof. As will be described later, except for one end of the handle 6 fixed to the refrigerator door 2, the handle 6 is from the hinge axis of the one-dot chain line H that becomes the pivot axis of the refrigerator door 2. It extends over the recessed pocket portion 21 at the bottom left corner of the far side front panel 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2-6B, the elongated handle 6 forms one end thereof, and is usually coupled to the bottom left corner of the front panel 4 via a plurality of screws 7. A square engaging portion 8, a mounting table 9 mounted on the left side of the lower door frame member 3b, and a gripper 10 extending horizontally from the engaging portion 8 are provided. The long handle 6 is a hard synthetic resin material is added or coated with an antimicrobial agent. On one surface of the engaging portion 8 of the handle 6, a lattice-shaped reinforcement 12, a screw hole 11 of about two inside thereof, and a position protruding toward the rear panel of the refrigerator door panel combination The decision boss 13 is formed.

In order to secure the distance between the screw 7 which mutually couples the handle 6 to the refrigerator door 2 within a narrow range of square couplings 8 formed at one end of the handle, as shown in FIG. 4C. Likewise, the screw holes 11 are arranged diagonally to each other in the engaging portion 8. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4C, the mount 9 is located between the temporary mounting post 14 protruding downwards and the handle engaging portion 8 and the downward protruding post 14 and shown in Fig. 6B. It consists of a mounting force 15 that fits snugly into the socket 26 on the lower door frame member 3b. As shown in Fig. 4A, a microgroove or surface pattern 16 is formed on the surface (i.e., rear side) facing the front panel 4 at the grip portion 10 of the distal handle 6.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a screwing iron plate located inside the screw 7 of the handle 6. Reference numeral 18 is a steel handle support plate. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the handle support plate 18 includes a temporary mounting force 19 and tongue tongues 20, which are secured to the socket formed on the lower door frame member 3b to be described later. I'm going to listen.

As in FIG. 1, the front panel combinations 22a, 22b and 23 of the drawer boxes have respective handles collectively designated by reference numeral 24. These handles 24 are located about the middle of the width of the refrigerator so that they lie in the same vertical plane as each compartment door. In fixing and coupling the handle 6 to the refrigerator door 24, the handle 6 is also positioned on the same vertical plane as the handle 2.

Hereinafter, a method of firmly coupling the handle 6 to the refrigerator door 2 will be described.

The tongue plate 20 is inserted into the lower door frame member 3b and the mounting force 19 is engaged with the detent 26 integral with the lower door frame 3b. After temporarily mounting on the lower door frame member 3b, the heat insulating material 5 is filled in the space between the front panel 4 and the rear panel forming the door panel combination. On the other hand, the post 14 is temporarily inserted into the socket 26 in the lower door frame 3b, and the handle 6 is temporarily mounted, and the screwing iron plate is provided via the positioning boss 13. (17) is temporarily coupled to the handle coupling portion (8). After the temporary mounting process is finished, the handle plate 6 is penetrated through the iron plate 17 and after the coupling part 8 passes through the entire thickness, using the screws 7 to be strongly fastened to the support plate 18. ) Is firmly fixed to the refrigerator door (2).

In a state where the handle 6 is held in a fixed position and firmly coupled to the refrigerator door 2, as shown in FIG. 2, the handle 6, in particular its engaging portion 8 and the front panel 4, may be It is strongly sandwiched between the iron plate 17 and the support plate 18.

Finally, by inserting the inserting force ribs 38 at both ends of the decorative cover 27 firmly into respective counterparts on the handle 6, the corresponding decorative cover 27 in FIGS. 5A and 5B is moved forward of the handle 6. Can be attached to the surface. Before or after the mounting cover 27 is coupled, the refrigerator door 2 is hinged to the refrigerator casing 1 to complete the refrigerator.

In view of the fact that the grip portion 10 of the handle 6 extends substantially horizontally and extends above the pocket portion 21 on the refrigerator door 2, the handle (from above, below and side of the refrigerator door 2) 6) can be accessed. Although the resilient force acts on the engaging portion 8 and the screw 7 of the handle 6 when the refrigerator door 2 is selectively opened and closed, a shear force may be applied from above or below, the handle structure according to the present invention. In the case that the iron plate 17 is to accommodate the elastic force while the mounting force 15 and the lower door frame 3b is designed to accommodate the shear force. As such, it is apparent that the handle structure of the present invention provides a relatively large degree of freedom of access to the handle and facilitates the maintenance of the handle cleanness.

In addition, since the handle protrudes to a minimum from the front panel of the refrigerator door and the handles 24 are located on the same vertical plane, the turning angle of the refrigerator door pivoting between opening and closing positions is not narrowed, and the user's turning angle is not narrowed. You don't have to worry about the clothes caught on the handle. By forming a fine surface groove or pattern 16 on the rear surface of the grip portion 10 of the handle 6, it is possible to effectively minimize the possibility of sliding to increase the mobility of the refrigerator door.

Adding an antimicrobial agent to the handle is effective to keep the handle hygienically clean.

In addition, the handle structure according to the present invention is able to insert the mounting force 15 into the lower door frame (3b), not only to prevent the refrigerator door from rattling in the vertical direction, but also to provide sufficient physical strength. It can be secured. In addition, when looking at the elastic force that will act on the handle engaging portion while selectively opening and closing the refrigerator door, since the reinforcing steel plate 17 is fastened in close contact with the reinforcing rib 12 by the screw 7, The area can be significantly increased to improve the physical strength, as well as to prevent screwing into the resin material forming the handle or to loosen the joining portion.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the above embodiments, various modifications and changes are possible to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it should be understood that such variations and modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they belong to the appended claims.

Claims (7)

Insulation material including a front panel 4 and a rear panel facing the refrigerator compartment, and upper and lower frame members 3a and 3b and filling a space formed between the front and rear panels and the upper and lower frame members 3a and 3b. And at least one access door (2) hingedly supported at one side thereof to selectively open and close the doorway through the refrigerator interior by moving between opening and closing positions about the hinge axis (H), further comprising (5). In the refrigerator door handle structure of the form, The access door (2) has a gripping portion (10) extending in the width direction, when viewed from the access door (2), a long handle that is firmly fixed at one end thereof on the opposite side away from the hinge axis (H) ( Door handle structure of the refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a 6) The amount of protrusion of the handle (6) from the front panel (4) according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the front panel (4) in line with the gripping portion (10) is recessed inward to form the pocket portion (21). Door handle structure of the refrigerator, characterized in that to minimize. 2. The door handle structure of a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the handle one end (8) is designed to be inserted into the lower frame member (3b). The method of claim 1, further comprising an iron plate 17 coupled to the screw fastening portion, the grid-like reinforcement 12 is formed on one side surface of the handle 6 to maintain contact with the iron plate 17 Door handle structure of the refrigerator, characterized in that. 2. The door handle structure of a refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a handle support plate (18) located inside the door (2) and designed to be inserted into the lower frame member (3b). The door handle structure of a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the handle (6) is treated with an antimicrobial agent. The door handle structure of a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a surface pattern (16) is formed on a surface of the grip part (10) facing the front panel (4).