US20080164797A1

US20080164797A1 - Refrigerator and shelf for the same

Info

Publication number: US20080164797A1
Application number: US11/969,134
Authority: US
Inventors: Do Hyung Kim
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-01-05
Filing date: 2008-01-03
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Also published as: KR20080064555A; KR101342175B1

Abstract

A support element connecting a plate with a side frame is provided at a shelf according to the present invention, so that the side frame is prevented from being deformed or damaged by the lateral load applied to the side frame while detaching or attaching the shelf.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field
This document relates to a refrigerator and a shelf for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is a home appliance for cooling or freezing food to preserve the food.
Particularly, a refrigerating cycle is installed in the refrigerator, and thus the freshness of the food stored in the refrigerator is preserved by cold air resulting from an operation of the refrigerating cycle. And, a plurality of shelf elements for placing the food are installed in the refrigerator and arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of storage boxes are provided therein.

SUMMARY

A refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a body in which a food storage space is provided; a plurality of shelves having a plate detachably provided on a wall surface of the storage space to receive the food, a side frame connected to both side ends of the plate, and an engagement portion protruding from a rear end of the side frame; an installation guide provided at an inner wall surface of the storage space and provided with an installation port for inserting the engagement portion; and a support element simultaneously contacted with the plate and the side frame and supporting the side frame.
Also, a shelf for a refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plate on which food is placed; a side frame for supporting the plate; an engagement portion protruding from a rear end of the side frame; and a support element provided at an edge, where the plate and the side frame are contacted, to prevent the side frame from deforming laterally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an inner construction of a bottom freezer-type refrigerator where a shelf for a refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is employed.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a state view showing that a lateral load is applied to the shelf for the refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a shelf for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having the shelf according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The construction proposed in the present invention is applicable to any type of refrigerator where a food storage space is provided. Hereinafter, a bottom freezer type refrigerator, in which a refrigerating chamber is disposed above a freezing chamber, will be described as an example.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inner construction of a bottom freezer-type refrigerator, where a shelf for a refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is employed.
Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber 140 are provided in a body 110 of a refrigerator 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively. And, in the bottom freezer-type refrigerator, the refrigerating chamber 120 is disposed above the freezing chamber 140.
Particularly, front surfaces of the refrigerating chamber 120 and the freezing chamber 140 are respectively opened, and the opened front surfaces are selectively closed by a door 200. The door 200 includes a refrigerating chamber door 220 for opening/closing the refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber door 240 for opening/closing the freezing chamber 140.
More particularly, the refrigerating chamber door 220 is respectively provided at both sides of the front surface of the body 110, and one edge thereof is pivotably mounted onto the body. And, the freezing chamber door 240 is installed at a front surface of a basket 242 sliding in and out of the freezing chamber, so that the basket 242 and the freezing chamber door 240 are slid in and out of the freezing chamber in a back-and-forth direction.
Meanwhile, a plurality of storage boxes may be provided at a rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door 220, and drawers 160 and shelves 300 of various sizes may also be provided in the refrigerating chamber 120.
Particularly, both side ends of the plurality of drawers 160 and shelves 300 may be formed in a size to connect with a left side surface and a right side surface of the refrigerating chamber 120, or the plurality of drawers 160 and shelves 300 may divide the inner space of the refrigerating chamber 120 as they are formed in a size that is smaller than the width of the inner space of the refrigerating chamber 120.
The drawer 160 defines a separate space in the refrigerating chamber 120, and allows food stuffs having various storage properties to be stored at an appropriate temperature. And, the shelf 300 is movably installed in the refrigerating chamber 120, so that food stuffs of various sizes can be stored therein. And, an installation guide 180 for supporting the shelf 300 is provided on a rear wall surface in the refrigerating chamber 120. Particularly, the installation guide 180 is longitudinally formed in a vertical direction, and a plurality of installation ports 182 are perforated and formed in a front surface of the installation guide at predetermined intervals. And, the installation guide 180 may be provided at an interval corresponding to the width of a rear end of the shelf 300. For example, if three installation guides 180 are provided at both side edges and a central portion of the refrigerating chamber 120, the refrigerating chamber 120 is divided into two parts, which are left and right parts, by the shelf 300. And, the shelf 300 installed at the left region from the center of the refrigerating chamber 120 may have the height, which is equal to or different from that of the shelf 300 installed at the right region.
FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, the shelf 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a plate 320 on which food or a vessel is placed, and a side frame 340 provided at both side ends of the plate 320.
The plate 320 defining an overall external shape of the shelf 300 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate, and it forms a surface on which food or a vessel having food stuffs is placed. Particularly, the plate 320 is composed of a plate body 322 of an approximate rectangular plate shape, and an edge frame 324 surrounding the plate body 322.
The plate body 322 may be made of a tempered glass or a transparent plastic material, and the edge frame 324 may be made of a plastic or a synthetic resin material. And, the edge frame 324 is formed along a periphery of the plate body 322, so that it serves to protect the plate body 322 from the outer impact. And, the side frame 340 is connected to a bottom.
More particularly, a close-contact rib 326, which is formed of an elastic material such as a rubber and is more inclined as it is extended toward the rear, is extended at a rear end of the edge frame 324. The close-contact rib 326 is tightly contacted with the inner side rear wall surface of the refrigerator body 100, so that a gap between the refrigerating chamber 120 and the shelf 300 is not formed.
Meanwhile, the side frame 340 is connected to both side ends of the plate 320. Particularly, the side frame 340 is installed in the rectangular direction to the plate 320, and is formed to have the length corresponding to the length between the rear end and front end of the plate 320. And, the side frame 340 transmits the food load applied to the plate 320 to the installation guide 180 when the food is seated on the plate 320. In addition, it serves to prevent the plate 320 from bending or leaning forward when the food weight is exerted on the plate 320.
Further, the rear end width of the side frame 340 is formed to be greater than the front end width, so that the side frame 340 withstands the moment applied to the plate 320.
Meanwhile, a top of the side frame 340 is tightly contacted to left and right side ends of the plate 320, particularly a bottom of the edge frame 324. And, it may be integrally fixed to the plate 320 by a fastening element 500 such as a screw.
Further, an engagement portion 342 is protruded from the rear end of the side frame 340.
Particularly, the engagement portions 342 are respectively formed at upper and lower portions of the rear end of the side frame 340. The engagement portion 342 formed at the lower end is extended toward the rear, and the engagement portion 342 formed at the upper end is downwardly bent and extended. Since the engagement portion 342 formed at the upper end is downwardly bent and extended, the side frame is not come out of the installation port 182 even when the downward moment is applied to the plate 320. And, since the engagement portion formed at the lower end is extended toward the rear, it is possible to withstand the moment applied to the plate 320.
The engagement portion 342 is inserted in the installation port 182 of the installation guide 180 and is engaged therein, the shelf 300 may maintain the installation state as a cantilever structure by means of this.
Further, the height of the shelf 300 is determined by a position of the installation port 182 in which the engagement portion 342 is inserted. That is, the height of the shelf 300 can be adjusted by changing the position of the installation port 182 in which the engagement portion 342 is inserted.
Meanwhile, a support element 400 is formed at the rear portion on the inner side surface of the side frame 340. The support element 400 may be provided at the edge where the rear surface of the side frame 340 and the rear surface of the plate 320 are met. Particularly, the support element 400 is provided on the inner side surface of the side frame 340 in the direction intersecting with the side frame 340, so that it serves to support the lateral load applied to the side frame 340. In other words, in order to adjust the height of the shelf 300, the user holds both side surfaces of the shelf 300 while separating the shelf 300 from the installation guide 180. And, the lateral load may be applied to the side frame 340 by the user while the shelf 300 is separated and upwardly or downwardly moved. Here, the support element 400 prevents the side frame 340 from bending or separating from the plate 320 due to the lateral load applied to the side frame 340.
The support element 400 may be formed as an approximate rectangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness, and it may be laterally extended at the inner surface upper portion of the side frame 340 so that the top of the support element 400 is able to contact with the lower surface of the plate 320.
By means of this configuration, the support element 400 is line-contacted with the inner side surface of the side frame 340 and the lower surface of the plate 320. Therefore, even when the lateral load is applied to the side frame 340, the original shape of the side frame 340 may be maintained as it is supported by the top of the support element 400 contacting with the lower surface of the plate 320.
Meanwhile, the support element 400 may be formed in the shape of a right-angled triangle where the right-angled portion is contacted with the side frame 340 and the plate 320 or of a rectangular parallelepiped having a predetermined thickness as well as of a rectangular plate. That is, any kind of shape, which can be closely contacted to the edge of the side frame 340 and the plate 320 simultaneously, may be used. In addition, a plurality of support elements 400 may be formed on the inner side of the side frame 340 as necessary. That is, the plurality of support elements 400 may be arranged at specific intervals in a back-and-forth direction.
Also, the support element 400 may be integrally extended from the inner side surface of the side frame 340, and a separate plate-shaped element may also be connected to the side frame 340 and the plate 320 by an adhesion element.
Various embodiments, other than the first embodiment, of the shelf for the refrigerator according to the present invention are possible, and they will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the overall construction of the shelf 300 to be described is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the detailed description will be omitted and the same reference numerals will be used.
FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 3, the support element 400 is downwardly extended and formed at the rear end of the plate 320.
Particularly, the support element 420 is extended to the lower surface edge portion surrounding the rear end periphery of the plate 320. And, one side end of the support element 420 is line-contacted to the rear end of the inner side surface of the side frame 340.
In other words, the support element 420 is disposed at the edge where the rear end of the side frame 340 and the rear end of the plate 320 are met, and it is line-contacted to the inner side surface of the side frame 340 and the lower surface of the plate 320, respectively. Therefore, it can be supported by the support element 420 even when the lateral load is applied to the side frame 340.
Meanwhile, as described in the first embodiment, the support element 420 is not restricted to the rectangular plate shape and it may be any shape which is tightly contacted to the edge where the side frame 340 and the plate 320 are met, and a plurality of support elements may be provided as necessary.
Also, the support element 420 is provided as a separate element and is formed in the shape of
so that it is surface-contacted with any one of the plate 320 and the side frame 340 and is line-contacted with the other.
Particularly, it is possible that the support element 420 is bent in the shape of
at the edge, where the rear end and the side end of the plate 320 are met, and is extended, and that the portion extended to the side end of the plate 320 is surface-contacted to the side frame 340.
Otherwise, it is possible that the support element 420 is bent in the shape of
wherein one surface is closely contacted to the lower surface and the other side surface is downwardly extended from the lower surface of the plate 320. And, one side end of the support element 420 may be line-contacted to the side frame 340.
Various embodiments, other than the first and second embodiments, of the shelf 300 for the refrigerator according to the present invention are possible, and they will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the overall construction of the shelf 300 to be described is similar to that of the first and second embodiments, and thus the detailed description will be omitted and the same reference numerals will be used.
FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a construction of a shelf for a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 4, the support element 440 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is to support the lateral load applied to the side frame 340, and it is extended between the engagement portions 342 and is perpendicularly bent toward the center of the plate 320.
Particularly, in order to contact the support element 440 extended between the engagement portions 342 to the lower surface of the plate 320, the engagement portion extended at the upper side of the rear end of the side frame 340 should be upwardly protruded, as shown in the drawing. That is, the engagement portion extended at the upper side of the rear end of the side frame 340 is upwardly protruded along the tilt angle of the close-contact rib 326 provided at the rear end periphery of the plate 320. And then, as the upper surface of the side frame 340 is line-contacted to the lower surface of the edge frame 324, the upper surface of the support element 440 can be also tightly contacted to the lower surface of the edge frame 324.
Hereinafter, an operation of the shelf for the refrigerator according to the present invention with the above described configuration will be described as follows with reference to the drawings.
The above described first, second and third embodiments have almost the same operation since the overall construction is similar, and therefore the operation will be described with reference to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 shows a state view that a lateral load is applied to the shelf for the refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, first of all, the side frame 340 is connected to the plate in order to assemble the shelf 300.
Here, the top of the side frame 340 is connected to the left and right side ends of the plate 320 by means of the fastening element 500 such as a screw, so that the support element 400 formed on the inner side surface of the side frame 340 is contacted with the lower surface of the plate 320.
That is, the support element 400, which is extended in the direction intersecting with the side frame 340 and formed at the inner side surface of the side frame 340, is contacted with the lower surface of the plate 320 and is disposed at the edge, which is defined by the side frame 340 and the plate 320. And, all of the inner side surface of the side frame 340 and lower surface of the plate 320 are line-contacted with the support element 440.
Meanwhile, in order to install the shelf 300 having the side frame 340 in the refrigerator, the engagement portion 342 is inserted into the installation port 182 of the installation guide 180. Here, the engagement portion extended at the upper part of the rear end of the side frame 340 is initially inserted into the installation port 182, and then the engagement portion straightly extended at the lower part of the rear end is inserted into the installation port 182. And, the inner space of the refrigerating chamber 120 can be efficiently divided by appropriately changing the installation position of the shelf 300 depending on the size of the food to be received.
Particularly, the user holds both side surfaces of the shelf 300 while installing or separating the shelf 300. And, while doing so, the lateral load is applied to the side frame 340 due to the hold of the user. In particular, sometimes the user unintentionally exerts greater force on the side frame while installing or separating the shelf 300.
If the lateral load is applied to the side frame 340, the torque or the moment, which inwardly deforms the side frame 340, is generated. Particularly, a greater torque is generated at the rear portion of the side frame, which has a relatively greater up-and-down width. Here, since the side frame 340 is stably supported by the support element 440, the side frame 340 can be prevented from deforming.
Also, the end of the support element 440, the inner side surface of the side frame 340 and the lower surface of the plate 320 are line-contacted to each other, and the deformation of the support element 440 due to the lateral load is almost impossible, because the characteristic of the support element 400 formed in the shape of a plate.
Therefore, the side frame 340 which is contacted with the support element is not deformed, so that the lateral load can be supported by the support element 440.
Of course, it is apparent that the operation of the first embodiment is the same as that of the second and third embodiments.
It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above, and it is apparent that variations and modifications by those skilled in the art can be effected within the spirit and scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body in which a food storage space is provided;

a plurality of shelves having a plate detachably provided on a wall surface of the storage space to receive the food, a side frame connected to both side ends of the plate, and an engagement portion protruding from a rear end of the side frame;

an installation guide provided at an inner wall surface of the storage space and provided with an installation port for inserting the engagement portion; and

a support element contacted with the plate and the side frame simultaneously and reinforcing the intensity of the side frame.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the side frame is perpendicularly connected to the plate, and the support element is closely contacted to a lower surface of the plate and an inner side surface of the side frame.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the support element is line-contacted to any one or both of the inner side surface of the side frame and the plate.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the support element is disposed between the plate and the side frame as a separate element.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the support element is integrally extended from a lower surface of the plate or a rear end of the side frame.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the support element is provided at a rear end of the shelf.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of installation guides are installed on an inner wall surface of the storage space at predetermined intervals.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein at least 2 shelves are laterally or vertically installed in the storage space.

9. A shelf for a refrigerator, comprising:

a plate on which food is placed;

a side frame for supporting the plate;

an engagement portion protruding from a rear end of the side frame; and

a support element provided at an edge, where the plate and the side frame are contacted, to prevent the side frame from deforming laterally.

10. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the support element is provided as a separate part, and is closely contacted to the plate and the side frame by an adhesion element.

11. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the support element is extended from one side of the plate, so that at least some of the support element is contacted to an inner side surface of the side frame.

12. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the cross-section of the support element is bent in the shape of

and a top is line-contacted to a lower surface of the plate as any one surface is closely contacted to an inner side surface of the side frame.

13. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the longitudinal-section of the support element is bent in the shape of

and one side end is line-contacted to an inner side surface of the side frame as one surface is closely contacted to a bottom surface of the plate.

14. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the support element is bent from a rear end of the side frame toward the center of the plate.

15. The shelf for the refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the plate comprises a plated body formed of a tempered glass and an edge frame formed along a periphery of the plate body.