KR20220030129A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of maintaining the quality of an exterior part even when a door is deformed. The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet in which a storage space is formed; and a door for opening and closing the cabinet. The door includes: a door liner forming a rear surface of the door; a body plate spaced apart from the front of the door liner; an upper cap decoration which is coupled with a top end of the body plate and the door liner to form an upper surface of the door and in which a recessed handle is formed; a lower cap decoration coupled with a lower end of the body plate and the door liner to form a lower surface of the door; an insulator filling a space formed by the coupling of the door liner, the body plate, and the cap decorations; and a panel assembly detachably disposed in front of the body plate. The panel assembly includes: a plate-shaped panel forming a front exterior of the door; an upper bracket provided along an upper portion of the rear surface of the panel facing the upper cap decoration and inserted into and coupled with the upper cap decoration; and a lower bracket provided along a lower portion of the rear surface of a panel facing the lower cap decoration and constrained by the lower cap decoration.

Description

refrigerator { Refrigerator }

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND ART In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that allows food to be stored at a low temperature in an internal storage space that is shielded by a refrigerator door. It is configured to store the stored food in an optimal state.

As such, refrigerators are gradually becoming larger and multifunctional in accordance with changes in dietary habits and the trend of luxury products, and refrigerators having various structures and convenience devices in consideration of user convenience are being released.

In addition, in order to harmonize with the environment in which the refrigerator is disposed or with surrounding furniture or home appliances, structures for varying the exterior of the front door of the refrigerator are being opened.

Japanese Patent No. 6460832 discloses a structure in which a glass panel forming an exterior is mounted on the front door of a refrigerator. In addition, a plurality of recessed grooves are formed in the front portion of the door body, and multi-stage bent installation portions are formed on the rear surface of the glass panel, and the installation portions are inserted into the recessed grooves to disclose a structure in which the glass panel can be mounted. has been

However, in the prior art, it is not easy to precisely couple the plurality of installation parts on the rear surface of the glass panel to the grooves of the door body, and thus there is a problem in that workability and productivity are deteriorated.

In addition, in the prior art, the shape of the groove may be deformed or the door itself may be bent or twisted due to the dispersion of door components, the temperature difference inside and outside the refrigerator during operation of the refrigerator, and the foaming pressure during foaming of the insulator. In addition, due to this deformation, the glass panel may not be correctly mounted, and there is a problem that an appearance defect may occur due to this.

In particular, when the panel is made of a heavy material such as glass, a plurality of the grooves and the installation part structure are required, and since a large number of homos have to accurately couple the installation part to mount the glass panel, assembly and disassembly work is not easy. there is a problem.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator in which exterior quality can be maintained even when the door itself is spread or deformed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a panel assembly can be easily mounted and disassembled on a door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of ensuring safety when a panel assembly is detached.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cabinet in which a storage space is formed; a door for opening and closing the cabinet, the door comprising: a door liner forming a rear surface of the door; a body plate spaced apart in front of the door liner; an upper cap deco coupled to the top of the door liner and the body plate to form an upper surface of the door and having a recessed handle; a lower cap deco coupled to the lower ends of the door liner and the body plate to form a lower surface of the door; an insulating material filled in a space formed by the combination of the door liner, the body plate, and the cap decorations; and a panel assembly detachably disposed in front of the body plate, wherein the panel assembly includes: a plate-shaped panel forming a front exterior of the door; an upper bracket provided along a rear upper portion of the panel facing the upper cap deco and inserted into and coupled to the upper cap deco; and a lower bracket provided along a lower rear surface of the panel facing the lower cap decor and constrained to the lower cap decor.

The upper bracket may include: an upper bonding unit attached to the panel; A plurality of protruding rearward along the upper bonding portion may include a locking protrusion extending to be inserted into the upper cap deco.

The handle may be recessed from the upper surface of the upper cap deco, and the locking protrusion may be formed further below the recessed bottom surface of the handle.

An insertion hole into which the locking protrusion is inserted is formed on the front surface of the Upper Cap Deco, and a plurality of the insertion holes may be located at the same height along the Upper Cap Deco.

A support portion for supporting the lower surface of the locking protrusion extends upwardly from the lower end of the insertion hole, and the support portion is formed to be inclined or rounded toward the rear to extend upward so as to be elastically changeable.

A locking part protruding to be caught in the upper end of the support part is formed on a lower surface of the locking protrusion, and the locking part and the support part may maintain a locking state until the panel assembly is rotated by a set angle.

As the locking protrusion protrudes rearward, the thickness may be reduced.

The upper cap deco may have an upper support end protruding forward along an end of the upper cap deco to support the upper end of the panel.

The panel assembly may further include a fixing bracket extending along an upper end of the rear surface of the panel and having a rib insertion groove opened on the upper surface thereof, and a plurality of protruding portions protruding downward from the upper support end and inserted into the rib insertion groove. An upper rib may be formed.

The body plate may be formed of a steel material, and attached to the body plate may be provided at left and right both ends of the rear surface of the panel.

The lower bracket may include: a lower bonding part attached to the rear surface of the panel and extending along the rear surface of the panel; It may include a restraining protrusion that protrudes backward from the lower bonding part and is inserted into the front surface of the lower cap deco.

A front opening is formed on the front surface of the lower cap deco, which is opened so that the restraining protrusion is inserted, and a lower surface opening opened at a position corresponding to the front opening is formed on the lower surface of the lower cap deco, and the front opening and the lower surface of the opening are formed. A locking member that is rotatably mounted in the receiving space between the communication and is selectively coupled to the restraining protrusion may be provided.

The locking member may include: a manipulation unit exposed through the lower surface opening and operated by a user; a first restraining part extending in a direction crossing the extending direction of the manipulation part from the front end of the manipulation part, and being caught by the end of the restraining protrusion; and a rotating shaft protruding from both sides between the manipulation unit and the first restraining unit and axially coupled to the cap deco.

and a second restraining part extending in parallel with the second restraining part at a position spaced apart from the first restraining part, and between the first restraining part and the second restraining part there is a receiving groove into which the end of the restraining protrusion is inserted. can be formed.

The first restraining part may extend more than the second restraining part, and an end of the first restraining part may extend to protrude outward of the front opening in a state not coupled to the restraining protrusion.

An open stopper in contact with the manipulation unit may be formed in the receiving space in a state in which the receiving groove is rotated to be exposed through the front opening.

The restraining protrusion includes a protrusion bent downward after extending backward, and the bent end of the protrusion may be inserted into the restraint groove.

A space in which the first restraining part is accommodated may be formed inside the protrusion.

A manipulation guide, which is exposed through the lower surface opening, and extends forward beyond the upper side of the manipulation unit, may be formed inside the accommodation space to guide a user's finger toward the manipulation unit.

The upper end of the manipulation guide is fixed to the cap deco so that the manipulation guide is elastically deformable around the upper end according to a user's manipulation, and the manipulation guide includes the manipulation unit to maintain the locking member and the locking protrusion in a restrained state. A constraint stopper may be formed to constrain the rotation of the locking member.

In the refrigerator according to the proposed embodiment, the following effects can be expected.

In the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front exterior of the refrigerator may be formed by mounting the panel assembly. In addition, the panel assembly may be replaceable and mountable if necessary. Accordingly, when the built-in installation is performed, it is possible to install a panel assembly that matches the surrounding furniture or wall. In addition, even when a plurality of refrigerators are continuously arranged, there is an advantage in that the appearance can be harmonized.

In addition, the panel assembly may have a structure in which the upper end and the lower end are fixed and constrained by the upper cap deco and the lower cap deco, and thus the appearance of the panel assembly may be improved because the coupling structure is not exposed to the outside when viewed from the front.

In addition, the panel assembly has an advantage that the entire circumference of the panel assembly can be firmly fixed by having a structure in which upper and lower ends are constrained by upper and lower brackets, and left and right both ends are attached by magnets.

In particular, the upper end of the panel assembly may be firmly coupled to the position corresponding to the position of the handle by the fixing bracket and the upper bracket. Accordingly, even if the operation of holding the handle and pulling the door is repeated, the panel assembly can maintain a rigidly fixed state.

In addition, an upper end of the panel assembly may be engaged with the cap deco, and a lower end may be coupled to the lower cap deco by the locking member. Accordingly, even if the door is slightly twisted due to dispersion or heat insulation during the assembly process of the door, the panel assembly can be maintained in a rigidly fixed state by the locking member rotation and thus the panel assembly is prevented from being deformed. and maintain the appearance quality.

In the panel assembly, the upper end of the panel assembly has a locking protrusion of the upper bracket caught and restrained by the upper cap decor, and the lower end of the panel assembly is restrained with the locking member of the lower cap decor so that it can be mounted with a separate tool or coupling member. There is an advantage that the panel assembly can be mounted very simply and easily without using a .

In particular, when the lower end of the panel assembly is to be restrained, if the panel assembly is pushed toward the door body, it is naturally restrained with the locking member so that the installation can be completed. In addition, when the panel assembly in the mounted state is to be separated, if the locking member is rotated, the panel is rotated in association with each other so that it can be separated from the lower cap deco. That is, there is an advantage in that the panel assembly can be mounted and detached by performing a very simple and intuitive operation without a complicated operation when the panel assembly is mounted and detached.

In addition, the panel assembly may be attached to the body plate by a magnet in a state in which the upper end of the panel assembly is restrained, and there is an advantage in that the lower end of the panel assembly may be restrained more easily.

In addition, the panel assembly has a structure in which an upper end is first constrained to the door, and is caught by the support portion by the locking protrusion to prevent the panel assembly from falling during the mounting operation of the panel assembly due to its own weight. A replacement operation of the panel assembly may be facilitated.

In particular, the locking protrusion may have a locking structure in the support part having elasticity. Accordingly, when the panel assembly is mounted, a click sound and vibration are generated as the locking protrusion passes the support part, so that the operator can recognize that the normal fixing and mounting operation of the upper end of the panel assembly has been performed. In addition, when the panel assembly is separated, a click sound and vibration are generated as the locking protrusion passes through the support part, so that it can be sensed that the upper end of the panel assembly is separated, so that the operator holds the panel assembly so as not to fall. You will be able to work while Through this, the operator can prevent accidents in which the panel assembly is dropped, thereby ensuring the safety of the operator and preventing the panel assembly from being damaged.

1 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of refrigerators according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the refrigerator is built-in.
3 is a perspective view of a door according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exploded perspective view of a door according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front.
5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exploded state of a door body, which is a component of the door.
6 is a perspective view of an upper cap deco, which is a configuration of the door.
7 is a cross-sectional view VII-VII' of FIG. 6 .
8 is a perspective view of a lower cap deco, which is a configuration of the door.
9 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower cap deco and the locking member as viewed from above.
10 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower cap deco and the locking member as viewed from below.
11 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 10 .
12 is a perspective view of the locking member viewed from one side.
13 is a perspective view of the locking member viewed from the other side.
14 is a perspective view of a panel assembly that is one configuration of the door.
15 is a perspective view of an upper bracket and a fixing bracket, which are components of the panel assembly.
16 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 15 .
17 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted.
18 is a perspective view of a lower bracket that is a component of the panel assembly.
19 is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted.
20 is a view showing a state before the panel assembly is mounted on the door body.
21 is a view illustrating a process of restraining the upper end of the panel assembly.
22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling structure of the upper end of the door in the state of FIG. 21 .
23 is a view illustrating a process of restraining the lower end of the panel assembly.
24 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling structure of the lower end of the door in the state of FIG. 23 .
25 is a view illustrating a state of the lower surface of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted;
26 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an operation state of the locking member for separation of the panel assembly.
27 is a rear perspective view of a panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.
28 is a rear perspective view of a panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.
29 is a partial perspective view of a refrigerator door viewed from below according to another embodiment of the present invention.
30 is a partial perspective view showing the lower surface of the lower cap deco to which the locking member is mounted according to another embodiment of the present invention.
31 is a perspective view of the locking member.
32 is a perspective view taken along XXXII-XXXII' of FIG. 30;
33 is a perspective view taken along XXXIII-XXXIII' of FIG. 30;

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with drawings. However, the present invention cannot be said to be limited to the embodiments in which the spirit of the present invention is presented, and other inventions that are degenerative by addition, change, deletion, etc. of other components or other embodiments included within the scope of the present invention are easy. can suggest

Before the description, the direction is defined. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the direction in which the front of the door faces as shown in FIG. 2 is forward, the direction toward the cabinet with respect to the front of the door is in the rear, and the direction toward the floor where the refrigerator is installed is downward, and away from the floor. The direction can be defined as upward.

1 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of refrigerators according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the refrigerator is built-in.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has an overall appearance by a cabinet 10 forming a storage space with an open front and doors 20 and 30 for opening and closing the storage space. can be formed.

In addition, the refrigerator 1 may be mounted in harmony with the furniture or the wall O of the indoor space. As illustrated, the refrigerators 1 and 1 ′ may be installed in an indoor space such as a kitchen, and may be arranged adjacent to furniture or a wall O to harmonize. That is, a space corresponding to the size of the refrigerators 1 and 1' is provided on the furniture or the wall O, and the refrigerator 1 may be accommodated or may be arranged in a built-in type.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , other refrigerators 1 ′ may be continuously arranged in parallel on the side of the refrigerator 1 . That is, a space in which a plurality of refrigerators 1 and 1 ′ can be arranged may be provided by furniture or a wall O. As shown in FIG.

The plurality of refrigerators 1 and 1 ′ may have the same structure, and refrigerators having various structures may be combined and disposed as needed. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , in the refrigerator 1 disposed on the right side, the doors 20 and 30 may be disposed vertically. That is, the refrigerator 1 on the right side may be configured such that the door 20 that opens and closes in a rotational manner is provided at the upper side, and the door 30 that opens and closes in a sliding manner is provided at the lower side. In this case, an upper decor 42 having a handle is provided at the upper end of the door 30 , and the user can open the door 30 by holding and pulling the handle.

In addition, the refrigerator 1' disposed side by side on the left may be configured such that the upper storage space is opened and closed by a pair of doors 20', and the lower storage space is also opened and closed by the pair of doors 30'. . Further, the doors 20' and 30' may be configured to open and close in a rotational manner, and these doors 20' and 30' may be referred to as French-type doors. The rotatably opened and closed door 30 ′ may also include an upper decor 42 ′ having a handle formed at an end thereof, and a user may open the door 30 ′ by holding and pulling the handle.

Meanwhile, the panel assembly 50 may be mounted on the doors 20, 30, 20', and 30' of the refrigerators 1 and 1'. The panel assembly 50 forms the front surfaces of the doors 20 , 30 , 20 ′ and 30 ′, and thus can form the exterior of the refrigerator 1 and 1 ′ when viewed from the front.

The doors 20, 30, 20', and 30' of the refrigerators 1 and 1' may be equipped with a panel assembly 50 having the same structure except for their sizes. Accordingly, even when a plurality of refrigerators 1 are disposed, the same appearance such as color and texture can be formed. Of course, for the panel assemblies 50, materials having different colors or different textures may be used as needed.

Also, since the panel assemblies 50 have a detachable structure, it may be possible to select and install those having an appropriate appearance according to the environment in which the refrigerators 1 and 1' are installed.

When the refrigerator 1 is mounted on furniture or a wall O, the exterior of the refrigerator 1 is made of the same material or material having the same texture as the furniture or wall O, and the adjacent furniture or The exterior of the wall O and the refrigerator may be made to have a sense of unity with each other. Of course, even if the exterior of the refrigerator 1 and the furniture or wall O do not have a sense of unity, it will be preferable to provide a material that can harmonize.

In addition, the refrigerator 1 is disposed adjacent to the adjacent refrigerator 1 ′, furniture or wall O, and adjacent refrigerator 1 is not interfered with when the doors 20 and 30 are opened and closed. , can be placed close to furniture or wall (O).

The structure and mounting structure of the panel assembly 50 of the present invention may be the same in both the refrigerator 1' on the left and the refrigerator 1 on the right. 1, 1'), the structure of the refrigerator 1 on the right side will be described in more detail.

In addition, for convenience of explanation and understanding, the panel assembly 50 and the mounting structure of the panel assembly 50 will be described with reference to the lower door 30 . And, hereinafter, the upper door 30 may be referred to as a door 30 .

3 is a perspective view of a door according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the door according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front. And, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of the door body, which is one configuration of the door.

As shown in the drawing, the door 30 is filled with an insulating material (43 in FIG. 17), a door body 40 that substantially opens and closes the storage space, and a panel mounted on the door body 40 assembly 50 may be included.

The door body 40 may have a predetermined thickness, and may be filled with an insulating material 43 therein to insulate the storage space. In addition, the panel assembly 50 may be mounted on the front surface of the door body 40 to form front exteriors of the door 20 and the refrigerator 1 . The panel assembly 50 may be easily detachably mounted to the door body 40 , and the panel assembly 50 is easily detachable even when the door 30 is mounted to the cabinet 10 . It can have one structure.

Accordingly, the panel assembly 50 may be mounted in consideration of the appearance of the furniture or wall O, and the panel assembly 50 of a design desired by a user may be mounted or exchanged if necessary.

Looking at the structure of the door body 40 , the door body 40 as a whole includes a front plate 41 , a side frame 45 , an upper cap decor 42 , a lower cap decor 44 , and a door liner 47 . ) and a gasket 48 . And, the inside of the door body 40 may be filled with a heat insulating material (43).

In detail, the front plate 41 forms the front surface of the door body 40 and may be formed in a plate shape. The front plate 41 may be formed of a steel material, and forms a surface facing the rear surface of the panel assembly 50 .

A plurality of screw holes 412 may be formed along the circumference of the front plate 41 . Screws fastened to the upper cap decor 42 and the lower cap decor 44 and the side frames 45 on both sides may be fastened to the screw hole 412 .

The upper cap deco 42 and the lower cap deco 44 are respectively disposed at the upper end and lower end of the front plate 41 to form the upper and lower surfaces of the door body 40 . A handle groove 420 may be formed in the upper cap deco 42 to pull the door with a user's hand. The handle groove 420 may have a variety of shapes that a user can hold, and therefore it is not limited to a recessed shape and may be referred to as a handle.

In addition, the side frames 45 are coupled to both left and right ends of the front plate 41, and the upper and lower ends of the side frame 45 are respectively connected to the upper cap deco 42 and the lower cap deco 44 and can be connected

The side frame 45 connects between the upper cap decor 42 and the lower cap decor 44 , and simultaneously connects the front plate 41 and the door liner 47 . In addition, the side frame 45 may form both side surfaces of the door body 40 .

Looking at the structure of the side frame 45 in more detail, the side frame 45 may include a frame side surface 451 and a frame front surface 452 . The frame side surface 451 forms a surface exposed to the side of the door body 40 and may be formed in a planar shape. An upper end of the frame side surface 451 may contact the upper cap deco 42 , and a lower end of the frame side surface 451 may contact the lower cap deco 44 .

In addition, the frame front surface 452 may extend inward from the front end of the frame side surface 451 . The frame front surface 452 may be formed to support both left and right ends of the front plate 41 . The frame front surface 452 may extend from an upper end to a lower end of the side frame 45 and may be formed perpendicular to the frame side surface 451 .

The door liner 47 may be coupled to the rear surfaces of the upper cap deco 42 , the lower cap deco 44 , and the side frame 45 . The door liner 47 may be formed in a plate shape to form a rear surface of the door body 40 . The door liner 47 may be formed of a plastic material, and may be vacuum-formed to form the shape of the rear surface of the door body 40 .

In addition, the gasket 48 may be disposed along the periphery of the rear surface of the door liner 47 . The gasket 48 may be in contact with the circumference of the cabinet 10 when the door 20 is closed to seal the storage space.

Hereinafter, the structure of the upper cap decor 42 and the lower cap decor 44 constituting the door body 40 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

6 is a perspective view of an upper cap deco, which is a configuration of the door. And, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view VII-VII' of FIG. 6 .

As shown in the drawings, the upper cap deco 42 may form an upper portion of the door 30 , and may form an upper surface of the door 30 exposed to the outside in an assembled state. In addition, the upper cap deco 42 may be coupled to the front plate 41 , the door liner 47 , and upper ends of the side frame 45 .

In detail, the upper cap deco 42 may be formed of a plastic material, and may include an upper surface 421 , a front surface 422 , and both side surfaces 423 .

The upper surface 421 forms an upper surface of the door 30 , and a front surface 422 and both side surfaces 423 may be formed along the circumference of the upper surface 421 . A front plate 41 may be coupled to the front surface 422 , and the side frames 45 may be coupled to the left and right side surfaces 423 , respectively. And, the door liner 47 is coupled to the rear end of the upper surface 421,

An upper support end 424 protruding forward may be formed on the front surface 422 of the upper cap deco 42 . The upper support end 424 extends from the left end to the right end of the upper cap decor 42 , and may support the upper end of the panel assembly 50 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted.

In addition, a plurality of upper ribs 424a protruding downward may be formed on a lower surface of the upper support end 424 . The upper rib 424a is for restraining the upper end of the panel assembly 50 and may be inserted into the rib insertion groove 533 of the fixing bracket 53 to be described in detail below. A plurality of the upper ribs 424a may be formed at regular intervals along the upper support end 424 .

The front surface 422 of the upper cap deco 42 may include an upper portion exposed to the outside with respect to the upper support end 424 and a lower portion covered by the panel assembly 50 . The handle groove 420 that a user can hold for taking out the door 30 may be formed in an upper portion of the upper support end 424 .

The handle groove 420 may be recessed between the front surface 422 and the upper surface 421 of the upper cap deco 42, and along the horizontal direction of the upper cap deco 42, the upper cap deco ( 42) may be formed over most areas except for both ends.

In addition, the handle groove 420 is depressed downward from the upper surface 421 of the upper cap deco 42, and may extend to the upper end of the insertion hole 426 to be described below. Specifically, the bottom of the handle groove 420 may be located above the insertion hole 426 .

And, the upper support end 424 corresponding to the front end of the handle groove 420 may be formed lower than the upper surface 421, so that when viewed from the front, a part of the handle groove 420 is exposed. may be

The handle groove 420 may provide a recessed space 425 so that the user can hold the handle groove 420 while putting his or her hand in any position on the upper surface of the door 30 . In addition, the lower portion of the handle groove 420 is substantially located at a lower position than the upper end of the panel assembly 50 , and the upper end of the panel assembly 50 when a hand is inserted and pulled into the handle groove 420 . It also has a structure in which force can be applied.

Accordingly, the panel assembly 50 should have a rigid fixing structure with the upper cap decor 42 at the upper end, and for this purpose, between the upper bracket 54 and the fixing bracket 53 and the front surface of the upper cap decor 42 . may be provided with a bonding structure. The coupling structure of the panel assembly 50 will be described in more detail below.

In addition, an upper plate coupling part 422a supporting the front plate 41 from the rear may be formed on a lower front surface of the upper cap deco 42 . In addition, a screw hole 422b to which a screw for coupling with the front plate 41 is fastened may be formed in the upper plate coupling part 422a.

In addition, an insertion hole 426 may be formed on the front surface of the upper cap deco 42 . The insertion hole 426 is a portion into which the locking protrusion 542 of the upper bracket 54 to be described below is inserted, and may be formed to penetrate the front surface 422 of the upper cap deco 42 .

A plurality of the insertion holes 426 may be disposed at regular intervals at the same height, and may be formed along the lower end of the handle groove 420 . For example, the insertion hole 426 may be formed at a midpoint in the horizontal direction of the door, and a pair is further formed at both ends of the handle groove 420 separated by the same distance on both sides of the left and right sides based on the midpoint. The entire upper end of the panel assembly 50 may be firmly fixed.

Meanwhile, a protrusion insertion part 425 forming a space into which the locking protrusion 542 is inserted may be formed at the rear of the insertion hole 426 . The front surface of the protrusion insertion part 425 may be defined by the insertion hole 426 , and a space in which the locking protrusion 542 is accommodated may be formed.

In addition, the lower surface of the protrusion insertion part 425 is opened so that the insertion hole 426 and the support part 427 formed in the insertion hole 426 can be easily molded. That is, the upper cap deco 42 is injection-formed of a plastic material, and the lower surface of the protrusion insertion part 425 may be opened for mold arrangement for molding the insertion hole 426 and the support part 427 .

In addition, the opened lower surface of the protrusion insertion part 425 may be shielded by the insertion part cover 429 . The protrusion inserting part 425 is shielded by the inserting part cover 429 to prevent the insulator 43 filled in the door 30 from flowing into the protrusion inserting part 425. there is.

Meanwhile, a support portion 427 for supporting the panel assembly in contact with the locking protrusion 542 may be formed in the insertion hole 426 .

The support part 427 may be formed to protrude upward and backward from the lower end of the insertion hole 426 . In addition, the support part 427 may be disposed on both left and right sides of the lower end of the insertion hole 426 , and may be elastically deformed according to the mounting of the locking protrusion 542 .

The support part 427 may extend upward from the lower end of the insertion hole 426 , and as it extends upward, it may be inclined or rounded toward the rear, that is, the inside of the protrusion insertion part 425 . Also, the support 427 may be formed to have a thinner thickness as it protrudes upward. In addition, cutout portions 427a are formed at both left and right sides of the support portion 427 , so that the support portion 427 can be easily elastically deformed according to contact with the locking protrusion 542 . Accordingly, the support part 427 may elastically support the lower surface of the locking protrusion 542 while the locking protrusion 542 is inserted into the insertion hole 426 .

8 is a perspective view of a lower cap deco, which is a configuration of the door. And, FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower cap deco and the locking member as viewed from above. And, FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower cap deco and the locking member as viewed from below. And, FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 10 .

As shown in the drawing, the lower cap deco 44 may be formed of a plastic material, may form a lower portion of the door body 40 and may form a lower surface of the door body 40 . The lower cap deco 44 may include a front surface 441 and a lower surface 442, left and right side surfaces 444 and a rear surface 445 as a whole. In addition, the upper surface of the lower cap deco 44 may be opened, and the heat insulating material 43 may be filled in the opened inner side.

The front surface 441 may support the lower end of the front plate 41 from the rear. In addition, the both side surfaces 444 may support the lower end of the side frame 45 from the inside. In addition, the rear surface 445 may support the lower end of the door liner 47 from the front.

A lower plate coupling portion 441a supporting the front plate 41 from the rear may be formed on the front surface 441 of the lower cap deco 44 . The lower plate coupling portion 441a may extend from the left end to the right end of the front surface, and a screw hole 441b through which a plurality of screws passing through the front plate 41 are fastened may be further formed.

A lower support end 443 extending forward may be formed at the lower end of the front surface 441 of the lower cap deco 44 . The lower support end 443 may protrude forward from the lower end of the front surface 441 of the lower cap deco 44 , and may support the lower end of the panel assembly 50 .

In addition, a front opening 447 may be formed at a lower front end of the lower cap deco 44 in contact with the lower support end 443 . The front opening 447 may be opened so that a portion of the locking member 49, which will be described in detail below, is exposed. In addition, a restraining protrusion 552 to be described below may be inserted through the front opening 447 for mounting the panel assembly 50 .

To this end, a shaft coupling portion 446b may be formed inside the front opening 447, and a rotational shaft of the locking member 49 is mounted to the shaft coupling portion 446b so that the locking member 49 is moved. It may be rotatably mounted. A pair of the front openings 447 may be formed on left and right sides of the front surface of the lower cap deco 44 .

Meanwhile, a lower surface opening 446 may be formed at a position corresponding to the front opening 447 among the lower surfaces of the lower cap deco 44 . The lower surface opening 446 may be opened downward for manipulation of the locking member 49 . In addition, the front opening 447 and the lower opening 446 may be connected to each other, and may form a part of the accommodating space 447a inside the lower cap deco 44 . That is, an accommodation space 447a in which the locking member 49 is mounted is formed in the lower cap deco 44 , and the front surface of the accommodation space 447a is opened to form the front opening 447 , A lower surface of the accommodation space 447a may be opened to form a lower surface opening 446 .

The accommodating space 447a may be formed in a size in which the locking member 49 can be rotatably mounted. In addition, the locking member 49 is exposed through the front opening 447 to be restrained with the restraining protrusion 552 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, and is exposed through the lower surface opening 446 to the panel A user may manipulate the assembly 50 to separate it.

On the other hand, on the left and right sides of the lower opening 446, the shaft coupling portion 446b may be recessed, and the rotation shaft 492a protruding from both sides of the locking member 49 may be inserted into the shaft coupling portion 446b. there is. And, a locking part 446a protrudes from the shaft coupling part 446b, and the locking part 446a is formed to have an inclination to facilitate insertion of the rotation shaft 492a, and the rotation shaft 492a is the After being inserted into the inner side of the shaft coupling portion (446b) can be constrained so as not to be easily separated.

In addition, the lower opening 446 may have a larger size than the locking member 49 to facilitate the user's manipulation, and is rearward so that the user can put his or her finger in the state in which the locking member 49 is mounted. It can be more open.

In addition, a manipulation guide 448 for guiding a finger when the user inserts a finger into the lower surface opening 446 to manipulate the locking member 49 may be formed in the receiving space 447a. The manipulation guide 448 may extend rearward from the upper side of the accommodation space 447a , and may extend toward the rear end of the lower surface opening 446 .

In addition, downwardly protruding open stoppers 448c may be protruded from both upper left and right sides of the manipulation guide 448 . The opening stopper 448c allows the locking member 49 to maintain a fully rotated state, such as before the panel assembly 50 is mounted or detached, and the operation part 491 of the locking member 49 is ) can be in contact with

An upper end of the manipulation guide 448 is fixed, and a cutout 448d may be formed around the extended periphery except for the upper end. Accordingly, the manipulation guide 448 may be elastically deformed while rotating based on the fixed upper end according to the user's manipulation.

In detail, the manipulation guide 448 may include a guide surface 448a providing a rounded curved surface, and the guide surface 448a is located above the locking member 49 to guide the insertion position of the user's finger. can do.

In addition, restraint stoppers 448b protruding downward may be formed on both left and right sides of the manipulation guide 448 . The restraint stopper 448b restrains the locking member 49 from being arbitrarily rotated in a state in which the panel assembly 50 is mounted, and may be extended to contact the manipulation unit 491 .

Hereinafter, the structure of the locking member 49 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

12 is a perspective view of the locking member viewed from one side. And, Figure 13 is a perspective view of the locking member viewed from the other side.

As shown in the figure, the locking member 49 is extended from the manipulation unit 491 operated by the user, the rotational shaft 492a serving as the rotation center of the locking member 49, and the manipulation unit 491, and the restraining projection It may include a restraining portion (493,494) that is caught and restrained (552).

In detail, the manipulation unit 491 forms a lower surface of the locking member 49 , and is exposed through the lower surface opening 446 in a state in which the locking member 49 is mounted to be manipulated by the user. In addition, a recessed portion 491a is formed at the extended end of the manipulation unit 491 so that the user can more easily pull the manipulation unit 491 by inserting a finger. And, the both ends 491b of the extended end of the operation part 491, that is, the left and right both ends 491b of the recessed part 491a, according to the rotational state of the locking member 49, the opening stopper 448c or It may be formed to be in contact with the restraining stoppers 448b, respectively.

In addition, side portions 492 extending upward may be formed at both ends of the manipulation unit 491 . The circumference 492b of the side portion 492 is formed to be rounded so that the side portion 492 does not interfere with the manipulation guide 448 when the locking member 49 is rotated. In addition, the manipulation part 491 may protrude further than the rear end of the side part 492 . In addition, a rotation shaft 492a protruding laterally may be formed on one side of the side portion 492 . The rotation shaft 492a allows the locking member 49 to be mounted inside the accommodation space 447a and may be a rotation center of the locking member 49 . In addition, the rotation shaft 492a may be disposed at a position adjacent to the front end of the manipulation unit 491 .

The restraint parts 493,494 may extend in a direction crossing the manipulation part 491 from the manipulation part 491 . For example, the restraint parts 493,494 may extend perpendicularly to the manipulation part 491 , and may connect the side parts 492 on both sides. In addition, the restraining parts 493,494 may be caught by the restraining protrusion 552 to restrain the lower end of the panel assembly 50 .

The restraining part 493,494 may include a first restraining part 493 and a second restraining part 494 . The first restraining part 493 and the second restraining part 494 may be spaced apart from each other, and a receiving groove 495 into which the restraining protrusion 552 is inserted may be formed.

The first restraint part 493 may be bent at the rear end of the manipulation part 491 and may extend upward. In this case, the upper end of the first restraining part 493 may be lower than the upper end of the side part 492 and the upper end of the second restraining part 494 .

In addition, a restraining part guide 493a protruding upward may be further formed in the center of the first restraining part 493 . The restraining part guide 493a may extend to protrude out of the front opening 447 while the locking member 49 is rotated in an open state. Accordingly, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the restraining protrusion 552 may be guided to be inserted into the receiving groove 495 along the restraining part guide 493a. The restraining part guide 493a may be inclined so as to be lowered toward the front.

The second restraint portion 494 may extend in parallel with the first restraint portion 493 , and may extend upward from one side of the manipulation unit 491 spaced apart from the first restraint portion 493 . In addition, the second restraining portion 494 also comes into contact with the side portions 492 on both sides. Accordingly, the receiving groove into which the restraining protrusion 552 can be inserted by the manipulation part 491, the first restraining part 493, the second restraining part 494, and the side parts 492 on the left and right sides ( 495) can be formed.

The receiving groove 495 may be opened upward, and the opened upper surface may be located at a lower position than the upper ends of the first and second restraining parts 493 , 494 , and side parts 492 . In addition, the receiving groove 495 may be formed at a position corresponding to the rotation shaft 492a. Therefore, the locking member 49 can be rotated by the restraining protrusion 552 accommodated in the receiving groove 495, and by rotating the locking member 49, the restraining protrusion 552 is formed in the receiving groove ( 495) can also be made to escape to the outside.

Hereinafter, the panel assembly 50 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

14 is a perspective view of a panel assembly that is one configuration of the door.

As illustrated, the panel assembly 50 includes a panel 51 forming an exterior of the panel assembly 50 and an upper provided on the rear surface of the panel 51 for mounting the panel assembly 50 . It may include a bracket 54 and a lower bracket 55 . In addition, the panel assembly 50 may further include a fixing bracket 53 . In addition, the panel assembly 50 may further include a magnet 52 to be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 and the body plate 41 of the door body 40 .

In detail, the panel 51 may be formed of a rectangular plate-shaped material having a predetermined thickness, and may be formed of a material that can harmonize with the furniture or the wall O or home appliances disposed around it. . For example, the panel 51 may be formed of a glass material. For example, the panel 51 may be formed of a tempered glass material, and the exterior of the door 30 may be formed by printing or attaching a film to have a color or a pattern.

In a state in which the panel 51 is mounted on the door body 40, the upper end and the lower end contact the upper support end 424 and the lower support end 443, respectively, and both ends may contact the side frame 45. It can be formed in any size.

In addition, an upper bracket 54 and a lower bracket 55 may be provided on the rear surface of the panel 51 .

The upper bracket 54 may be provided on the panel 51 , and may extend from the left end to the right end of the panel 51 in the horizontal direction. The upper bracket 54 may be disposed along an upper end of the panel 51 .

The upper bracket 54 may include a plurality of restraining protrusions 552 to more firmly fix the panel assembly 50 to the door body 40 . A plurality of the restraining protrusions 552 may be provided at the same height, and may be inserted into the insertion hole 426 of the front surface of the upper cap deco 42 .

In addition, the restraining protrusion 552 may be caught and restrained while being inserted into the insertion hole 426 , and may maintain a state supported by the support part 427 . In addition, when the panel assembly 50 is rotated for mounting and detachment, it is supported by the support part 427 to prevent the panel assembly 50 from falling due to its own weight.

A fixing bracket 53 may be further provided at the upper end of the upper bracket 54 . The fixing bracket 53 may be formed along an upper end of the panel assembly 50 , and may be constrained by the upper support end 424 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted.

The fixing bracket 53 may be separately formed and attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 independently of the upper bracket 54 . Of course, the fixing bracket 53 may be integrally formed with the upper bracket 54 and mounted on the panel 51 . In this case, the upper bracket 54 can be seen to be disposed along the upper end of the panel 51 .

Meanwhile, the lower bracket 55 may extend along the lower end of the panel 51 , and may have a length corresponding to the left and right widths of the panel 51 . In addition, the lower bracket 55 may be seated on the lower cap deco 44 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted.

In addition, a restraining protrusion 552 for restraining the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be formed on the lower bracket 55 . The restraining protrusion 552 may protrude rearward, may be inserted into the front opening 447 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, and may be coupled to and restrained by the locking member 49 .

In addition, magnets 52 may be provided at both left and right ends of the panel 51 . The magnet 52 may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 by an adhesive or magnetic force. The magnet 52 may extend from an upper end to a lower end of the panel 51 . In addition, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted on the door body 40 while the magnet is attached to the panel 51 , the magnet 52 may be attached to the body plate 41 by magnetic force. there is. That is, the mounting of the panel assembly 50 may be aided by the magnet 52 .

Hereinafter, the structure of the upper bracket 54 and the fixing bracket 53 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

15 is a perspective view of an upper bracket and a fixing bracket, which are components of the panel assembly. And, FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 15 . And, FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted.

As shown in the drawing, the fixing bracket 54 is formed in a plate shape, and a bracket body 541 attached to the rear surface of the panel 51, and a locking protrusion protruding backward from the bracket body 541 ( 542) may be included.

The bracket body 541 may be formed to correspond to the left and right lengths of the panel 51 , and may be formed to have a vertical width at which the locking protrusions 542 can be formed. In addition, the bracket body 541 may have a thinner thickness than the panel bracket 52 . The bracket body 541 may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 by an adhesive, and may have a separate coupling structure if necessary.

The locking protrusion 542 protrudes backward from the rear surface of the panel 51 , and may be inserted through the insertion hole 426 of the upper cap deco 42 . In addition, when the locking protrusion 542 is inserted into the insertion hole 426 of the upper cap deco 42, it may be caught and constrained with the support part 427, and may be supported by the support part 427 at the same time. .

In detail, a plurality of the locking protrusions 542 may be formed along the bracket body 541 , and may protrude rearward at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 426 . In particular, the locking protrusion 542 may be coupled to the front surface of the upper cap deco 42 adjacent to the handle groove 425 of the upper cap deco 42 , and thus, the door 30 , the opening/closing operation An additional restraining force may be provided at the upper end of the panel assembly 50 corresponding to the handle groove 425 to which a large amount of force is applied.

The locking protrusion 542 may be formed such that both sides of the locking protrusion 542 have a gradually thinner thickness as they protrude from the front to the rear. Accordingly, when the locking protrusion 542 enters and exits the insertion hole 426 while the panel assembly 50 is rotated, smooth entry and exit can be made.

That is, the upper surface 542a of the locking protrusion 542 may be formed to be lowered toward the front. In addition, the lower surfaces 542c and 542d of the locking protrusion 542 may be formed to become higher toward the front.

On the lower surfaces 542c and 542d of the locking protrusion 542 , the support part 427 and the locking part 542b for locking may be formed to protrude. In addition, lower surfaces 542c and 542d of the locking protrusion 542 may include a first lower surface portion 542c and a second lower surface portion 542d based on the locking portion 542b. And, when the locking protrusion 542 is inserted, the upper end of the support part 427 comes into contact with the lower surfaces 542c and 542d of the locking protrusion 542 .

The first lower surface portion 542c and the second lower surface portion 542d may be formed to have an inclination that increases toward the front. In addition, the first lower surface portion 542c may have a smaller inclination than the second lower surface portion 542d. Accordingly, the front end of the first lower surface portion 542c and the rear end of the second lower surface portion 542d may naturally form a stepped portion, and may form a locking portion 542b.

Therefore, looking at the process in which the locking protrusion 542 is inserted into the insertion hole 426, the upper end of the support part 427 is in contact with the second lower surface part 542d, and the locking protrusion 542 is inserted. As it becomes, it is pressed downward and can be elastically deformed. And, at the moment when the locking part 542b passes the support part 427, the upper end of the support part 427 is restored by elasticity to the front end of the first lower surface part 542c, that is, the locking part 542b. may be caught and arrested. At this time, a clicking sound may be heard while the support part 427 is elastically deformed and restored, and the user may recognize that the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is caught and constrained by the sound. In addition, once the locking protrusion 542 is restrained, the panel assembly 50 , which is relatively heavy, does not fall arbitrarily, so that the user can more easily detach the panel 51 .

Meanwhile, the fixing bracket 53 may be further provided on the upper end of the upper bracket 54 . The fixing bracket 53 may be in contact with the upper end of the upper bracket 54 , and may have the same horizontal length as the upper bracket 54 . In addition, the fixing bracket 53 may be disposed along an upper end of the panel assembly 50 .

A rib insertion groove 533 may be formed on the upper surface of the fixing bracket 53 . The rib insertion groove 533 may be formed from the left end to the right end of the fixing bracket 53 , and the upper rib 424a of the upper support end 424 is inserted when the panel assembly 50 is mounted. It can be formed to be

When the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is first brought to the upper support end 424 , and in this case, the upper rib 424a can be inserted into the rib insertion groove 533 . there will be In addition, the rear portion 532 of the fixing bracket 53 comes into contact with the front surface 422 of the upper cap deco 42 when the panel assembly 50 is mounted. Therefore, even if the user strongly grips the handle groove 420, the rear part 532 is in a state in contact with the front surface 422 of the upper cap deco 42 to prevent deformation and flow, and the upper rib ( 424a) and the coupling of the rib insertion groove 533 may further reinforce the fixing structure at the position adjacent to the handle groove 420 .

Hereinafter, the lower bracket will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

18 is a perspective view of a lower bracket that is a component of the panel assembly. And, FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted.

As shown in the drawings, the lower bracket 55 may be injection-molded from a plastic material, and may be provided at the lower end of the panel 51 . In addition, the lower bracket 55 may be formed to extend to a length corresponding to the left and right widths of the panel 51 .

The lower bracket 55 may be caught and constrained by the lower cap deco 44 . The lower bracket 55 may be in close contact with the front surface of the lower cap deco 44 in a state where the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is first restrained to be restrained with the locking member 49 .

In detail, the lower bracket 55 may have a lower bonding portion 551 mounted on the rear surface of the panel 51 . The lower adhesive part 551 may be formed in a planar shape, and may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 by an adhesive. The lower bracket 55 may be positioned at a position corresponding to the lower end of the panel 51 with the lower bonding portion 551 attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 .

In addition, a restraining protrusion 552 protruding rearward from the lower bonding unit 551 may be formed at the rear of the lower bonding unit 551 . The restraining protrusion 552 may protrude rearward perpendicularly to the lower bonding part 551 , and may be formed at a position corresponding to the front opening 447 of the lower cap deco 44 . Accordingly, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the restraining protrusion 552 may be inserted into the front opening 447 .

Looking at the structure of the constraining protrusion 552 in more detail, the constraining protrusion 552 protrudes from the lower bonding portion 551, extends rearward by a predetermined length, and then includes a protrusion 552c that is bent downward. can do.

It may pass through the front opening 447 of the protrusion 552c and protrude to a height capable of being coupled to the locking member 49 . In addition, the protrusion 552c may be bent and extended to a length that can be inserted into the receiving groove 495 .

The end of the protrusion 552c may enter and exit the receiving groove 495 , and in this process, the locking member 49 may be rotated. At the end of the protrusion 552c in contact with the inner surface of the receiving groove 495 for smooth operation of the locking member 49 and smooth entry and exit of the protrusion 552c, a round portion 552d having a predetermined curvature is provided. can be formed. A diameter of the round portion 552d may be thicker than a thickness of the protrusion 552c and slightly smaller than a width of the receiving groove 495 . Accordingly, the round portion 552d can facilitate the rotation of the locking member 49 while allowing smooth entry and exit into the receiving groove 495 .

In addition, side portions 552a may be formed on left and right sides of the protrusion 552c. The side portion 552a may extend downward to a predetermined length of the protrusion 552c, and may be formed somewhat higher than the lower end of the protrusion 552c. A space may be formed inside the protrusion 552c by the side portion 552a. When the protrusion 552c is accommodated in the receiving groove 495 , the first restraining part 493 of the locking member 49 may be inserted into the space 552b of the protrusion 552c. And, according to the rotation of the locking member 49, the first restraining part 493 may enter and exit the space 552b.

In addition, a reinforcing rib 552e protruding inward of the space 552b may be formed on a lower surface of the protrusion 552c. The reinforcing rib 552e is formed in a rib shape connecting the lower surface of the protrusion 552c and the rear surface of the lower bonding part 551, and the protrusion 552c is coupled to or separated from the locking member 49. Even when a high load is applied in the , the protrusion 552c is prevented from being deformed or damaged.

And, the end of the reinforcing rib 552e may be formed with a round evacuation portion 552f, and the end of the first restraining portion 493 rotated in the space 552b is the reinforcing rib 552e. It may be formed so as not to interfere with the That is, the evacuation part 552f may be formed along the outer side of the rotation radius of the first restraining part 493 .

Hereinafter, a process in which the panel assembly 50 is mounted to the door 30 of the refrigerator 1 having the above structure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

20 is a view showing a state before the panel assembly is mounted on the door body. And, FIG. 21 is a view showing a process of restraining the upper end of the panel assembly. And, FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing the coupling structure of the upper part of the door in the state of FIG. 21 . And, FIG. 23 is a view showing a restraint process of the lower end of the panel assembly. And, FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing the coupling structure of the lower end of the door in the state of FIG. 23 . And, FIG. 25 is a view showing a state of the lower surface of the door in a state in which the panel assembly is mounted. And, FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an operation state of the locking member for separation of the panel assembly.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the door 30 may be assembled by mounting the panel assembly 50 to the door body 40 . To this end, the panel assembly 50 is completed by mounting the upper bracket 53 , the lower bracket 55 , and the panel fixing member 55 on the panel 51 . Then, after assembling the front panel 51, the side frame 45, the upper cap decor 42, the lower cap decor 44, and the accommodating member 46, respectively, a heat insulating material 49 is molded therein to form the door. The body 40 is completed.

In addition, the panel assembly 50 may be disposed for mounting on the front surface of the door body 40 in an assembled state. In this case, the rear surface of the panel assembly 50 is directed to the front of the door body 40 , and the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is placed in contact with the upper support end 424 first.

In detail, the fixing bracket 53 is coupled to the upper support end 424 while moving the panel assembly 50 from the front to the rear to approach the front side of the door body 40 and moving it from the bottom to the top at the same time. and the upper bracket 54 is coupled to the upper cap deco 42 .

And, in a state in which the panel assembly 50 is not mounted, the locking member 49 maintains an open state so that the receiving groove 495 is exposed through the front opening 447 .

21 and 22 , the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is tilted to mount the panel assembly 50 and the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is supported by the upper support end 424, and at the same time An upper portion of the panel assembly 50 may be coupled to the upper capdeco 42 . In addition, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be in a state separated from the door body 40 , that is, the lower cap deco 44 .

In detail, the panel assembly 50 may be moved upward so that the upper rib 424a is inserted into the rib insertion groove 533 of the fixing bracket 53 . In this case, the upper end of the panel 51 or the upper end of the fixing bracket 53 may be in contact with the upper support part 427 .

And, when the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is brought to the upper support part 427 , the locking protrusion 542 of the upper bracket 54 may be aligned in front of the insertion hole 426 . In this state, when the panel assembly 50 is rotated to shape the front surface of the door body 40 , the locking protrusion 542 may be inserted into the insertion hole 426 . For example, when a user rotates the panel assembly 50 counterclockwise with the upper end of the panel assembly 50 as an axis, the locking protrusion 542 can be inserted into the insertion hole 426 . there is.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 22 , the second lower surface portion 542d of the locking protrusion 542 starts to come into contact with the support portion 427 , and as the panel assembly 50 rotates, the The support part 427 may pass through the second lower surface part 542d while being elastically deformed and be caught by the locking part 542b. And, at the moment when the end of the support part passes the second locking part, the support part 427 may make a click sound while elastically restored, and the sound and vibration are transmitted to the user to fix the upper end of the panel assembly 50. that can be verified.

And, in a state in which the locking part 542b of the locking protrusion 542 is caught and constrained to the upper end of the support part 427, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 does not fall downward, and the mounted state can be maintained. . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the panel assembly 50 from falling due to its own weight even when the mounting to the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is not completed, and the operation for restraining the lower end of the panel assembly 50 . can be made easier.

The combination of the upper rib 424a and the rib insertion groove 533 and the insertion of the locking protrusion 542 into the insertion hole 426 can also be performed by a single operation of moving the panel assembly 50 upward and forward. can be done

Also, even when the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is fixed, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may not be constrained yet. In a state in which the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is not restrained, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be slightly spaced apart from the front surface of the lower cap deco 44 .

And, as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 , the locking member 49 maintains an open state, and the receiving groove 495 is exposed through the front opening 447 , so that It can hold a waiting state for insertion.

In detail, the locking member 49 may maintain a rotated state until the operation unit 491 comes into contact with the open stopper 448c. In this state, the first restraint portion 493 and the second restraint portion 494 may maintain a state arranged to face the front opening 447 . In addition, the front end of the first restraining part 493 , that is, the restraining part guide 493a is exposed to the outside of the front opening 447 , and may be positioned adjacent to the lower support end 443 . Accordingly, the receiving groove 495 may also be exposed through the front opening 447 .

In this state, when the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is pushed in to be positioned on the lower support end 443 , the restraining protrusion 552 may be coupled to the locking member 49 to be restrained.

In detail, when the panel assembly 50 is continuously rotated counterclockwise around the upper end of the panel assembly 50 which is already temporarily fixed, the restraining protrusion 552 moves toward the front opening 447 . do.

And, as shown in FIG. 24 , the lower end of the protrusion 552c of the restraining protrusion 552 , that is, the round part 552d follows the restraining part guide 493a to the inside of the receiving groove 495 . can be inserted. In addition, the front end of the protrusion 552c comes into contact with the front end of the second restraining portion 494 .

In this state, when the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is further rotated, the front end of the protrusion 552c pushes the second restraining part 494 rearward, and thus the locking member 49 moves the rotation shaft. It rotates clockwise around (492a).

As the locking member 49 rotates, the lower end of the protrusion 552c, that is, the round portion 552d may be gradually inserted into the receiving groove 495 . In addition, the first restraining part 493 is inserted into the space 552b inside the restraining protrusion 552 and pulls the protrusion 552c rearward, that is, toward the door body 40 .

That is, as the lower end of the panel assembly 50 rotates counterclockwise, the locking member 49 rotates clockwise, and the restraining protrusion 552 is inserted into the front opening 447, The protrusion 552c can be gradually inserted into the receiving groove 495 .

On the other hand, when the panel assembly 50 is rotated to face the front of the door body 40 while the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is restrained, the magnets 52 disposed on the left and right sides of the panel 51 are ) may be attached to the body plate 41 by magnetic force. That is, in a state in which the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is restrained, the panel assembly 50 is naturally moved to the front of the door body 40 by its own weight and the magnetic force of the magnet 52 , and is aligned to the correct position. be able to

That is, the magnet 52 assists the rotational mounting of the panel assembly 50 so that the panel assembly 50 can be mounted more easily. It is possible to maintain the panel assembly 50 more firmly coupled to the door 30 .

And, when the rotation of the panel assembly 50 is completed as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 , the lower end of the panel 51 may be in a state supported by the lower support part 427 . In addition, by rotation of the lower end of the panel assembly 50 , the restraining protrusion 552 may be completely inserted into the front opening 447 , and the protrusion 552c may be the lowermost portion of the receiving groove 495 . The restraining protrusion 552 may be in a state restrained by the locking member 49 in the lower cap deco 44 by being shoveled up to the shovel.

Meanwhile, in a state in which the panel assembly 50 is completely rotated, the locking member 49 may be in a restrained state. When the locking member 49 reaches the restrained state, the restraint stopper 448b of the operation guide 448 presses the upper surface of the operation part 491 to fix it. That is, in the locking member 49 , the manipulation unit 491 is positioned on the lower surface opening 446 to maintain the locking member 49 in a restrained state. In such a state, the counterclockwise direction of the locking member 49 may be in a restrained state, and thus the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be maintained in a restrained state.

Through this operation, the panel assembly 50 can be completely mounted on the front side of the door body 40, and it is possible to maintain a solid mounting state.

As such, the panel assembly 50 can be mounted and operated simply by a user without using additional tools or using members for separate coupling. Of course, in order to separate the panel assembly 50, the process may be performed in the reverse order, so that it can be simply separated without using a separate tool or member for coupling, and it can be replaced with the panel assembly 50 desired by the user. there is.

In particular, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is fixed and the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is pushed toward the front of the lower cap deco 44, and the restraining protrusion 552 and the locking member 49 may be coupled to complete the mounting. In addition, in order to separate the panel assembly 50, simply by rotating the manipulation unit 491, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is rotated to move forward so that the panel assembly 50 is in a detachable state. can

On the other hand, the process of removing the panel assembly 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 26 . In order to separate the panel assembly 50 , a user may use the inner side of the lower surface opening 446 of the lower cap deco 44 to separate the panel assembly 50 . Insert your finger into the to rotate the operation guide 448.

When the contact between the restraint stopper 448b and the manipulation unit 491 is released by the rotation of the manipulation guide 448, the locking member 49 becomes rotatable, and the user presses the manipulation unit 491 with a finger. is pushed up so that the locking member 49 is rotated counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 492a.

When the locking member 49 is rotated counterclockwise, the second restraining part 494 pushes the protrusion 552c forward to rotate the lower end of the panel assembly 50 to move forward, and the protrusion 552c is rotated forward. The lower end of the 552c , that is, the round part 552d, gradually comes out of the receiving groove 495 .

At this time, since the locking protrusion 542 maintains the locking state of the support part 427 , even if the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is rotated and the restraint of the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is released, the panel assembly (50) will maintain the mounted state without falling due to its own weight.

And, when the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is further rotated in a state in which the restraining protrusion 552 is completely separated from the locking member 49, the support part 427 releases its restraint with the locking part 542b. is moved to the second restraining part 494, and in this process, the support part 427 may be elastically deformed and then restored. At this time, when the support part 427 is elastically deformed and restored, vibration can be transmitted to the user along with a click sound. Accordingly, the user confirms that the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is also released, holds the panel assembly 50 not to fall, and moves the panel assembly 50 downward and backward to lift the panel assembly 50 . It can be completely separated from the door 30 .

Meanwhile, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention may be capable of various other embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments. Another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the panel constituting the panel assembly is formed of a metal material. All other embodiments of the present invention are the same as the above-described embodiment except for the structure of the panel, and the same components use the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

27 is a rear perspective view of a panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator door 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a door body 40 and a panel assembly 50 ′ mounted on the front surface of the door body 40 . .

The panel assembly 50 ′ has a size corresponding to the size of the front surface of the door body 40 , and is configured to form the appearance of the entire front surface of the door 30 while being mounted on the door body 40 . can

The panel assembly 50 ′ may include a plate-shaped panel 51 forming an exterior, and an upper bracket 53 and a lower bracket 55 for fixing upper and lower ends of the panel 51 . In addition, the panel assembly 50 may further include a magnet 52 for attaching the rear surface of the panel 51 ′ and the front surface of the door body 40 to each other.

In detail, the panel 51 ′ may be formed of a rectangular plate-shaped material having a predetermined thickness, and may be formed of a material that can harmonize with the furniture or wall O or home appliances disposed around it. there is.

For example, the panel 51 ′ may be formed of a plate-shaped metal material such as stainless steel. In addition, printing, coating, or film attachment may be performed on the front surface of the panel 51 ′ to have a color or pattern, and the exterior of the door 30 may be formed.

On the other hand, the panel 51' maintains a stable support state when mounted on the door body 40, and bends 511 are formed along the circumference so that the cross section of the panel 51' is not exposed to the outside. can Accordingly, the outer surface of the peripheral surface of the panel 51 ′ may be formed by the bent portion 511 . In addition, the fixing bracket 53 , the upper bracket 54 , the lower bracket 55 , and the magnet 52 mounted on the rear surface of the panel 51 ′ are shielded by the bent portion 511 to shield the panel 51 . ') can be prevented from being exposed around the perimeter.

Magnets 52 may be provided at both left and right ends of the panel 51 ′. The magnet 52 may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51' by an adhesive or magnetic force. The magnet 52 may extend from an upper end to a lower end of the panel 51 ′. And, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted to the door body 40 in a state where the magnet is attached to the panel 51', the magnet 52 is attached to the front panel 51' by magnetic force. can be That is, the mounting of the panel assembly 50 may be aided by the magnet 52 .

The fixing bracket 53 and the upper bracket 54 may extend along the upper end of the panel 51', and may have a length corresponding to the left and right widths of the panel 51'. And, when the panel assembly 50' is mounted, the fixing bracket 53 is coupled to the upper rib 424a of the upper support end 424, and the locking protrusion 542 of the upper bracket 54 is It may be inserted into the insertion hole 426 . Accordingly, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 ′ may be fixed to the upper cap deco 42 by the fixing bracket 53 and the upper bracket 54 .

In addition, the lower bracket 55 is provided at the lower end of the panel 51', and may be formed to have the same horizontal length as the left and right lengths of the panel 51'. In addition, the restraining protrusion 552 of the lower bracket 55 may be inserted into the front opening 447 of the lower cap deco 44 to be coupled to the locking member 49 . Accordingly, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 ′ may be fixed to the lower cap deco 44 by the locking member 49 .

Meanwhile, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention may be capable of various other embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments. In another embodiment of the present invention, the panel of the panel assembly may be formed of a FENIX material. In another embodiment of the present invention, all other components except for the panel are the same as in the above-described embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

28 is a rear perspective view of a panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, the refrigerator door 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a door body 40 and a panel assembly 50 ″ mounted on the front of the door body 40 . can

The panel assembly 50 ″ may be mounted on the front surface of the door body 40 to form a front exterior of the door 30 . The panel assembly 50 ″ may include a panel 51 ″, an upper bracket 53 , and a lower bracket 55 . In addition, the panel assembly 50 ″ may further include a magnet 52 attached to the body plate 41 .

In detail, the panel 51 may be formed of a rectangular plate-shaped material having a predetermined thickness, and may be formed of a material that can harmonize with the furniture or wall O or home appliances disposed around it. .

For example, the panel 51 ″ may be formed of a FENIX material having a predetermined thickness. In addition, a pattern may be formed on the front surface of the panel 51 ″ to have a surface texture or a surface treatment such as coating may be applied to form the exterior of the door 30 . Of course, the panel 51 ″ may be formed of ceramic, tile, composite material, stone, or the like having a similar thickness instead of the Phenix material.

On the other hand, the panel 51 ″ made of a Phoenix material has a thickness greater than or equal to a set thickness in consideration of workability and strength for use in the door 30 . Accordingly, the thickness of the panel 51'' may be greater than that of the panels 51 and 51' made of glass or metal.

In this state, when the fixing bracket 53, the upper bracket 54, the lower bracket 55, and the magnet 52 are disposed on the rear surface of the panel 51'', the thickness of the panel assembly 50'' is increased. Since it becomes excessively thick and impairs the appearance of the door 30, or it may not be possible to apply a normal assembly structure, a recessed panel seating part 512 may be formed around the rear surface of the panel 51'' there is.

In detail, on the rear surface of the panel 51 ″, a rear central portion 513 may protrude rearward, and a recessed panel seating portion 512 may be formed along the periphery of the central portion 513 . The panel 51 ″ is formed in a plate shape having the same thickness as that of the central portion 513, and the panel seating portion 512 is machined along the periphery of the rear surface to form the recessed panel seating portion 512. can

The panel mounting part 512 may be formed to have a predetermined width so that the fixing bracket 53 , the upper bracket 54 , the lower bracket 55 , and the magnet 52 can be mounted. And, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the fixing bracket 53, the upper bracket 54, and the lower bracket 55 are the upper cap deco 42 and the lower cap deco 44 as in the above-described embodiment. coupled to, and the magnet may be formed to have a thickness that can be attached to the body plate (41).

That is, the panel seating portion 512 may be formed to have a step difference from the central portion 513 , and may be formed to have a thinner thickness than the central portion 513 , and include the fixing bracket 53 , the upper bracket 54 , and the lower portion. The bracket 55 and the magnet 52 may be disposed.

If necessary, the panel seating part 512 is not in a stepped shape, but is recessed into a shape corresponding to only the area where the fixing bracket 53, the upper bracket 53, the lower bracket 55, and the magnet 52 are mounted. It may also be possible to form

In addition, magnets 52 may be provided at both left and right ends of the panel 51 ″. The magnet 52 may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51 ″ by an adhesive or magnetic force. The magnet 52 may extend from the top to the bottom of the panel 51 ″. And, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted to the door body 40 in a state where the magnet is attached to the panel 51 ″, the magnet 52 is moved to the front panel 51 ″ by magnetic force. can be attached to That is, mounting of the panel assembly 50 ″ may be supported by the magnet 52 .

Magnets 52 may be provided at both left and right ends of the panel 51 ′. The magnet 52 may be attached to the rear surface of the panel 51' by an adhesive or magnetic force. The magnet 52 may extend from an upper end to a lower end of the panel 51 ′. And, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted to the door body 40 in a state where the magnet is attached to the panel 51', the magnet 52 is attached to the front panel 51' by magnetic force. can be That is, the mounting of the panel assembly 50 may be aided by the magnet 52 .

The fixing bracket 53 and the upper bracket 54 may extend along the upper end of the panel 51 ″, and may have a length corresponding to the left and right widths of the panel 51 ″. Then, when the panel assembly 50 ″ is mounted, the fixing bracket 53 is coupled to the upper rib 424a of the upper support end 424, and the locking protrusion 542 of the upper bracket 54 is provided. may be inserted into the insertion hole 426 . Accordingly, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 ″ may be fixed to the upper cap deco 42 by the fixing bracket 53 and the upper bracket 54 .

In addition, the lower bracket 55 is provided at the lower end of the panel 51'', and may be formed to have the same horizontal length as the left and right lengths of the panel 51''. In addition, the restraining protrusion 552 of the lower bracket 55 may be inserted into the front opening 447 of the lower cap deco 44 to be coupled to the locking member 49 . Accordingly, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 ′ may be fixed to the lower cap deco 44 by the locking member 49 .

Meanwhile, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention may have various other embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments. Another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the lower end of the panel assembly is constrained by inserting the locking member into the lower cap deco. In another embodiment of the present invention, all other configurations except for the lower bracket, the lower cap deco and the locking member are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same components use the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. The same configuration will be described using the same reference numerals without being separately illustrated.

29 is a partial perspective view of a refrigerator door viewed from below according to another embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 30 is a partial perspective view showing the lower surface of the cap deco is equipped with a locking member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator door 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a door body 40 and a panel assembly 50 . The door body 40 may include a body plate 41 , a door liner 47 , an upper cap decor 42 , a lower cap decor 44 , and a side frame 45 . And among them, except for the structure of the lower capdeco 44, the remaining components may have the same structure as the above-described embodiment.

The lower cap deco 44 may also have the same overall external structure as in the above-described embodiment. The lower cap deco 44 may include a front surface 441 , a lower surface 442 , left and right side surfaces 444 and a rear surface 445 , and the upper surface is opened so that the insulating material 43 may be filled therein.

In addition, a lower support end 443 that protrudes more forward than the front surface 441 may be formed on the lower surface 442 of the lower cap deco 44 . In addition, a lower rib 443a protruding upward may be further formed on the lower support end 443 .

A lower surface opening 449 may be formed on a lower surface of the lower cap deco 44 . The lower opening 449 may be formed to communicate with the front surface of the lower cap deco 44, and may be formed to a size into which a user's finger can be inserted.

In addition, the guide surface 449a may be formed to be rounded inside the lower surface opening 449 to press the lower end of the panel assembly 50 in a state in which the user's finger is mounted from the rear. The guide surface 449a extends from the rear end of the lower surface opening 449 to the front surface of the lower cap deco 44, and may be formed to have a predetermined curvature.

The lower surface opening 449 may be formed at a position corresponding to the pressing part 553 on the rear surface of the panel assembly 50 . Therefore, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the pressing part 553 is located at a position corresponding to the position of the lower surface opening 449, so that when the panel assembly 50 is removed, the user's finger can be pressed

In addition, a plurality of the lower surface openings 449 may be formed along the lower cap deco 44 . For example, the lower opening 449 may be formed one at a time on both left and right sides of the lower cap deco 44 .

An insertion hole 442a may be further formed at a position corresponding to the lower support end 443 on the lower surface of the lower cap deco 44 . The insertion hole 442a is a hole into which the locking member 60 for restraining the lower portion of the panel assembly 50 is inserted, and a plurality of insertion holes 442a may be formed along the lower cap deco 44 . For example, one insertion hole 442a may be formed in the center of the lower cap deco 44 in the horizontal direction, and one insertion hole 442a may be formed at both left and right ends.

The insertion hole 442a is formed at a position corresponding to the lower support end 443 , and may be located at the lower end of the front surface of the lower cap deco 44 . Accordingly, when the locking member 60 is inserted, the locking member 60 may restrain the lower end of the panel assembly 50 above the lower support end 443 .

In addition, the panel assembly 50 may have the same structures as the panel 51 , the fixing bracket 53 , and the upper bracket 54 , except for the lower bracket 55 ′. In addition, the pressing part 553 and the locking member restraining part 553 which is caught by the locking member 60 may be formed in the lower bracket 55 ′.

Hereinafter, the structure of the locking member 60 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

31 is a perspective view of the locking member.

As shown in the drawing, the locking member 60 may be formed to a size that can be inserted into the insertion hole 442a, is formed to have elasticity, and is press-fitted into the inside of the insertion hole 442a to be fixed. can be maintained. For example, at least a portion of the locking member 60 may be injection-molded from an elastically deformable plastic material.

In detail, the locking member 60 as a whole extends from the locking member cap 61 exposed to the outside of the insertion hole 442a, and the locking member cap 61, and is inserted into the insertion hole 442a. It may include a locking member body 62 .

The locking member cap 61 may be formed in a shape capable of shielding the insertion hole 442a, and when the locking member 60 is mounted in the insertion hole 442a, the lower surface of the cap deco 44 It may be formed to be exposed to

The locking member cap 61 may include a center cap 611 positioned at the center as a whole, and a pair of side caps 612 formed on both left and right sides of the center cap 611 . In addition, the center cap 611 and the side cap 612 may be spaced apart from each other.

The locking member body 62 may extend to the center cap 611 , and the locking member body 62 may be inserted into the insertion hole 442a. In addition, connection parts 614 connected to the side cap 612 may be formed on both sides of the locking member body 62 . The connection part 614 may be bent downwardly and then upwardly again to be connected to one end of the side cap 612 . Accordingly, the connection part 614 has an elastically deformable structure, and may be deformed when the locking member 60 is mounted to the insertion hole 442a.

In addition, an outwardly protruding protrusion 615 may be formed in the connecting portion 614 , and the protruding portion 615 includes an outer end of the inserting hole 442a in a state in which the locking member 60 is inserted into the inserting hole and may be caught and arrested. That is, when the locking member 60 is inserted into the insertion hole 442a, the connection part 614 is compressed and elastically deformed to facilitate the insertion of the locking member body 62, and the locking member 60 of Upon completion of insertion, the connection part 614 is elastically restored, and the protrusion part 615 is caught at both ends of the insertion hole 442a to prevent arbitrary separation of the locking member 60 .

In addition, a cap protrusion 613 extending downward may be formed on a lower surface of the side cap 612 . The cap protrusion 613 protrudes at a position somewhat spaced apart from the outer end of the side cap 612, and when the locking member 60 is mounted, the end of the cap protrusion 613 is the lower cap deco 44 It can be supported in contact with the lower surface 442 . Accordingly, the side cap 612 is slightly spaced apart from the lower surface 422 of the lower cap deco 44 by the cap protrusion 613, so that it is easy to hold the side cap 612 when the locking member 60 is separated. It is formed so that it can be pulled.

The locking member body 62 may include an upper body 621 extending from the center cap 611 and a lower body 622 extending further from the upper body 621 . The outer surface of the upper body 621 may be inclined or rounded to more easily insert and mount the locking member 60 . In addition, the lower body 622 extends from the lower end of the upper body 621 in a slightly forward bent state, and the extended end of the lower body 622 restrains the locking member of the lower bracket 55'. It may be inserted into the portion 553 .

Hereinafter, a state in which the panel assembly 50 is mounted will be described with reference to the drawings.

32 is a perspective view taken along XXXII-XXXII' of FIG. 30;

As shown in the drawing, in order to mount the panel assembly 50, the upper portion of the panel assembly 50 is first fixed as in the above-described embodiment. In this state, the panel assembly 50 is brought into close contact with the front surface of the door body 40 .

In this case, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be supported by the lower support end 443 , and the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be supported by the lower rib 443a. In this state, the opened lower surface of the locking member restraining part 553 protruding backward from the lower bracket 55' may be aligned with the insertion hole 442a.

The locking member restraining part 553 may be formed to protrude rearward from the rear surface of the lower bracket 55', and the lower surface may be opened to form a space 553a in which the end of the locking member can be accommodated. . Accordingly, when the locking member 60 is inserted into the insertion hole 442a, the locking member cap 61 shields the insertion hole 442a, and the locking member body 62 moves into the insertion hole 442a. It may be inserted and locked by the locking member restraining part 553 .

In detail, the locking member body 62 , that is, the lower body 622 extends upward while in contact with the lower rib 443a, and is inserted into the open lower surface of the locking member restraining part 553 and the locking member It may be caught and constrained by the restraining unit 553 .

Accordingly, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be constrained by the locking member 60 , and separation of the panel assembly 50 may be prevented.

Hereinafter, an operation state for separating the panel assembly 50 will be described with reference to the drawings.

33 is a perspective view taken along XXXIII-XXXIII' of FIG. 30;

As shown in the drawing, when the panel assembly 50 is mounted, the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be seated on the lower support end 443 .

In this state, in order to separate the panel assembly 50 from the door 30 , the locking member 60 is first separated from the insertion hole 442a. When all of the locking members 60 are removed from the lower cap decor 44 , the restraint of the lower end of the panel assembly 50 may be released.

In this state, the upper end of the panel assembly 50 is still fixed, and the lower end of the panel assembly 50 is supported by the lower support end 443 , so that direct manipulation of the panel assembly 50 is difficult. can be

In this state, when the user inserts a finger through the lower surface opening 449, the pressing part 553 of the lower bracket 55' can be pressed. The pressing part 553 may protrude rearward from the lower bracket 55', and may have a structure in which the center is depressed and the periphery protrudes backward so that the user's finger can easily press it.

When the user pushes the pressing part 553 forward by pressing it with a finger through the lower surface opening 449, the panel assembly 50 rotates clockwise about the upper end of the panel assembly 50 as an axis, A lower end of the panel assembly 50 may deviate from the lower support end 443 .

In this state, the user can separate the panel assembly 50 from the door body 40 by holding the panel assembly 50 and moving the panel assembly 50 downward and forward.

Claims (20)

a cabinet in which a storage space is formed;
a door for opening and closing the cabinet;
The door is
a door liner forming a rear surface of the door;
a body plate spaced apart in front of the door liner;
an upper cap deco coupled to upper ends of the door liner and the body plate to form an upper surface of the door and having a recessed handle;
a lower cap deco coupled to the lower ends of the door liner and the body plate to form a lower surface of the door;
an insulating material filling the space formed by the combination of the door liner, the body plate, and the cap decorations; and
and a panel assembly detachably disposed in front of the body plate,
The panel assembly,
a plate-shaped panel forming the front exterior of the door;
an upper bracket provided along a rear upper portion of the panel facing the upper cap deco, the upper bracket being inserted into and coupled to the upper cap deco; and
A refrigerator comprising a; provided along a lower rear surface of the panel facing the lower cap deco, a lower bracket constrained to the lower cap deco.
The method of claim 1,
The upper bracket is
an upper adhesive portion attached to the panel;
A refrigerator including a locking protrusion, a plurality of which protrude rearwardly along the upper adhesive part, and extend to be inserted into the upper cap deco.
3. The method of claim 2,
The handle is recessed in the upper surface of the upper cap deco,
The locking protrusion is formed further below the recessed bottom surface of the handle.
3. The method of claim 2,
An insertion hole into which the locking protrusion is inserted is formed on the front surface of the upper cap deco,
A refrigerator in which a plurality of the insertion openings are located at the same height along the upper cap deco.
5. The method of claim 4,
At the lower end of the insertion hole, a support for supporting the lower surface of the locking protrusion extends upward,
The support part is formed to be inclined or rounded to face rearward so as to extend upward, and is formed to be elastically changeable.
6. The method of claim 5,
A locking portion is formed on the lower surface of the locking protrusion to protrude so as to be caught and constrained to the upper end of the support portion,
The locking part and the support part maintain a locking state until the panel assembly is rotated by a set angle.
6. The method of claim 5,
A refrigerator in which the thickness of the locking protrusion becomes thinner as it protrudes rearward.
The method of claim 1,
The upper cap deco,
An upper support end protruding forward along an end of the upper cap deco to support an upper end of the panel is formed.
9. The method of claim 8,
The panel assembly,
It further includes a fixing bracket extending along the upper end of the rear surface of the panel, the rib insertion groove opened on the upper surface is formed,
A refrigerator having a plurality of upper ribs protruding downward from the upper support end and inserted into the rib insertion grooves.
The method of claim 1,
The body plate is formed of a steel material,
A refrigerator attached to the body plate at both ends of the rear left and right sides of the panel.
The method of claim 1,
The lower bracket is
a lower bonding part adhered to the rear surface of the panel and extending along the rear surface of the panel;
A refrigerator including a restraining protrusion protruding rearward from the lower bonding unit and inserted into the front surface of the lower cap deco.
12. The method of claim 11,
A front opening through which the restraining protrusion is inserted is formed on the front surface of the lower cap deco,
A lower surface opening that is opened at a position corresponding to the front opening is formed on the lower surface of the lower cap deco,
The refrigerator is provided with a locking member that is rotatably mounted in a receiving space between the front opening and the lower opening communicating with each other and is selectively coupled to the restraining protrusion.
13. The method of claim 12,
The locking member is
a manipulation unit exposed through the lower opening and operated by a user;
a first restraint portion extending from the front end of the manipulator in a direction crossing the extending direction of the manipulator, and engaging with the end of the restraint protrusion; and
A refrigerator comprising a; a rotating shaft protruding from both sides between the manipulation unit and the first restraining unit and axially coupled to the cap deco.
14. The method of claim 13,
and a second restraint portion extending parallel to the second restraint portion at a position spaced apart from the first restraint portion,
A refrigerator in which a receiving groove into which an end of the restraining protrusion is inserted is formed between the first restraining part and the second restraining part.
15. The method of claim 14,
The first restraint portion extends more than the second restraint portion,
The end of the first restraint portion extends so as to protrude to the outside of the front opening in a state not coupled to the restraint protrusion.
14. The method of claim 13,
An open stopper in contact with the manipulation unit is formed in the accommodating space in a state in which the accommodating groove is rotated to be exposed through the front opening.
15. The method of claim 14,
The constraining protrusion,
It includes a protrusion bent downward after extending rearward,
The bent end of the protrusion is inserted into the receiving groove.
18. The method of claim 17,
A refrigerator in which a space in which the first restraining part is accommodated is formed inside the protrusion.
14. The method of claim 13,
The inner side of the accommodation space is exposed through the lower surface opening,
Refrigerator in which an operation guide extending forward past the upper portion of the operation unit is formed to guide a user's finger toward the operation unit;
18. The method of claim 17,
The upper end of the manipulation guide is fixed to the cap deco, and the manipulation guide is formed to be elastically deformable around the upper end according to the user's manipulation,
A restraint stopper is formed in the operation guide to restrain the rotation of the locking member by restraining the operation unit so that the locking member is kept in a restrained state with the locking protrusion.

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