WO1998019117A1

WO1998019117A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO1998019117A1
Application number: PCT/JP1997/003888
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masatoshi Sasaki; Tadao Uno; Kouji Yamamoto; Minoru Kobayashi
Original assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company
Priority date: 1996-10-28
Filing date: 1997-10-27
Publication date: 1998-05-07
Also published as: JPH10132455A

Abstract

A refrigerator (100) includes a drawer-type door (110) for closing off a front opening of the refrigerator (100). The drawer-type door (110) includes a door panel (131) including a reinforcement plate (41) having a rear surface (17) adhering to a heat-insulating element (16) and also having a bent projection (21), and an outer plate (22, 28, 29) having a positioning hole (23); and a frame (3) for securely accommodating a container (2), the frame (3) being attached to the door panel (131) and slidably supported by a side wall (7) of the refrigerator (100). The bent projection (21) is inserted into the positioning hole (23).

Description

DESCRIPTION

REFRIGERATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a refrigerator including a door mechanism for closing off an opening of a heat-insulating housing by a drawer-type door.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventional door mechanism of such types of refrigerators described in, for example, Japanese Publi- cation for Opposition No. 60-27350, will be described with reference to Figures 9 through 14.

Figure 9 is a partial front perspective view of a drawer-type door 110, and the vicinity thereof, of a general refrigerator 100. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 100 seen from a side face of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure of a door mechanism for sliding a drawer-type door 110 of the refrigerator 100. Figure 12 is an isometric view of a reinforcement plate usable in the refrigerator 100. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional top view of the left side part of the drawer-type door 110 shown in Figure 9. Figure 14 is a partial cross-section- al view of a door panel 130 of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 9.

As shown in Figure 9, the refrigerator 100 includes a rotary door panel 120 and the drawer-type door 110 for closing off a front opening of a heat-insulating housing 105. The drawer-type door 110 can be, for example, a vegetable bin.

As shown in Figure 10, the drawer-type door 110 includes a door panel 130, a container 2 (for example, a vegetable container), and a frame 3. The door panel 130 includes a heat-insulating element 16 formed of a heat- insulating foam, a reinforcement plate 4 attached to an inner surface of the heat-insulating element 16, and a handle 20 attached to an outer surface of the heat- insulating element 16. The frame 3 is securely attached to the reinforcement plate 4 by a screw. As best shown in Figure 11, the container 2 has a top flange 2a, which is on a top edge of the frame 3. In this manner, the container 2 is suspended by the frame 3.

As shown in Figure 11, a roller 5 projects from the frame 3 toward a side wall 7 of the refrigerator 100.

The roller 5 is placed on a rail 6 provided on the side wall 7 of the refrigerator 100. A bottom end 8 of the frame 3 is bent to be horizontal and is placed on a roller 9 projected inward from the side wall 7 of the refrigerator 100. The roller 9 (lower) is located closer to the front of the refrigerator 100 than the roller 5

(upper). Due to such a structure, the frame 3 is slidably supported by the side wall 7 while a space between the frame 3 and the side wall 7 is maintained for allowing for cold air circulation. The weight of the container 2, which can be significant (for example,

20 gs ) when the container 2 accommodates vegetable such as cabbage, is supported by the rollers 5 and 9. As shown in Figure 12, the reinforcement plate 4 has engagement pieces 4a projecting from side edges thereof and engagement pieces 4b projecting from a top edge thereof. A bottom edge of the reinforcement plate 4 is bent forward to form an L-shaped part 13 to be forward-facing when incorporated in the door panel 130. The reinforcement plate 4 has a depression 10 having a bottom 11 and cutouts 12. The reinforcement plate 4 further has holes 14 used for attaching the frame 3 to the heat-insulating element 16.

As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the heat-insulating element 16 is partially surrounded by a flange 15. The flange 15 has side parts 15a and 15b. The side parts 15a and 15b respectively engagement holes la and lb. The engagement pieces 4a and 4b of the reinforcement plate 4 are inserted into the corresponding engagement holes la and lb, thereby attaching the reinforcement plate 4 to the flange 15. Furthermore, adhesion between the heat- insulating element 16 and a rear surface 17 of the reinforcement plate 4 is attained during a foaming step of the heat-insulating foam. During this step, a part of the heat-insulating material leaks through the cutouts 12 onto an outer surface of the reinforcement plate 4, thereby filling the depression 10. Thus, the adhesion of the reinforcement plate 4 to the heat-insulating element 16 is strengthened. The L-shaped part 13 of the reinforcement plate 4 is buried in the heat-insulating element 16, thereby also strengthening the adhesion of the reinforcement plate 4 to the heat-insulating element 16. The frame 3 is attached by screws 18 to the reinforcement plate 4. In addition, the rear surface of the door panel 130 is covered by a panel 19 to present an appealing external appearance.

Due to such a structure of the refrigerator 100, when the handle 20 of the door panel 130 is pulled, the container 2 smoothly comes forward by the functions of the rollers 5 and 9. The force of inertia generated by the weight of the vegetables and the like acts as a force for separating the reinforcement plate 4 from the flange 15 or for peeling off the reinforcement plate 4 from the heat-insulating element 16. However, since the depression 10 and the L-shaped part 13 of the reinforcement plate 4 adhere to the heat-insulating element 16, the reinforcement plate 4 is not separated or peeled off from the flange 15 or the heat-insulating element 16. Accord- ingly, the drawer-type door 110 is durable for many years .

However, in the above-described conventional structure, the reinforcement plate 4 is merely inserted into the flange 15 without being precisely positioned. In the case where the reinforcement plate 4 is located at an angle with respect to the door panel 130, the positional relationship between the door panel 130 and the frame 3 which is secured to the reinforcement plate 4 becomes undesirable. In such case, the positional relationship of the drawer-type door 130 with respect to the refrigerator 100 is also undesirable. Such an undesirable positional relationship causes the door panel 130 and the rotary door panel 120 to contact and thus damage each other, and also cause misalignment of a sealing material provided along the periphery of the door panel 130 with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing 105 to generate dew. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A refrigerator according to the present invention includes a drawer-type door for closing off a front opening of the refrigerator. The drawer-type door includes a door panel including a reinforcement plate having a rear surface adhering to a heat-insulating element and also having a bent projection, and an outer plate having a positioning hole; and a frame for securely accommodating a container, the frame being attached to the door panel and slidably supported by a side wall of the refrigerator. The bent projection is inserted into the positioning hole.

In one embodiment of the invention, the door panel includes an inner door plate integrally formed with an anchor through which a gasket is insertable as a sealing material, the anchor being provided along a perimeter of a rear surface of the inner door plate. The reinforcement plate has a depression for accommodating the anchor.

In one embodiment of the invention, a refrigerator further includes a resin cylinder inserted into the positioning hole so as to surround the bent projection.

In one embodiment of the invention, the outer plate is located in a top area of the door panel.

In one embodiment of the invention, the outer plate is located in a side area of the door panel.

Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantage of ( 1 ) providing a refrigerator having a drawer-type door for positioning a frame with respect to a door panel thereof with satisfactory precision so as to prevent the door panel and a rotary door panel from being damaged by contacting each other, and also so as to prevent misalignment of a sealing material surrounding the door panel with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing of the refrigerator, thus avoiding generation of dew, (2) providing a refrigerator which does not need screws for attaching a reinforcement plate, and (3) providing a refrigerator which prevents generation of dew on outer plates of the door panel even when the temperature in the refrigerator is drastically lowered .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a door panel of a refrigerator in a first example according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door panel in Figure 1 taken along line II-II;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a door panel of a refrigerator in a second example according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the door panel in Figure 3 taken along line IV-IV;

Figure 5 is a partial isometric view of a door panel of a refrigerator in a third example according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the door panel in Figure 5 taken along line VI-VI;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of a door panel of a refrigerator in a fourth example according to the present invention;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the door panel in Figure 7 taken along line VIII-VIII;

Figure 9 is a partial front perspective view of a drawer-type door, and the vicinity thereof, of a general refrigerator;

Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 9 seen from a side surface thereof;

Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure for pulling out a door mechanism of the refrigerator shown in Figure 9;

Figure 12 is an isometric view of a reinforcement plate usable in the refrigerator shown in Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a side part of the refrigerator shown in Figure 9; and

Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of a door panel of the refrigerator shown in Figure 9. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of illustrative examples with reference to Figures 1 through 8. Identical elements previously discussed with respect to Figures 9 through 14 will bear identical reference numerals therewith and the descriptions thereof will be omitted. Refrigerators according to the present invention have a basic general structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 although different reference numerals are given to the door panels and the reinforcement plates .

Example 1 Figure 1 is an isometric view of a door panel 131 of a refrigerator in a first example, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken along line II-II.

As shown in Figure 1, the door panel 131 includes a heat-insulating element 16 formed of a heat-insulating foam, a reinforcement plate 41 attached to the heat- insulating element 16, and at least one outer plate which is provided in an outermost area of the door panel 131. The outer plate is formed of iron. The iron plate may be a pre-coated plate or may be coated later. The reinforcement plate 41 is also formed of iron. In this example, side plates 22, a top cap 28 and a bottom cap 29 are provided as the outer plates. The side plates 22, the top cap 28 and the bottom cap 29 surround the heat- insulating element 16. The reinforcement plate 41 has bent projections 21 along both of two side edges thereof, and the side plates 22 each have a positioning hole 23 at a prescribed position. As best shown in Figure 2, the projections 21 are bent to be inserted into the corresponding positioning holes 23, thereby positioning and securing the reinforcement plate 41 to the side plates 22. Adhesion between the heat-insulating element 16 and the reinforcement plate 41 is attained during a foaming step of the heat-insulating foam. Therefore, no screw is necessary for securely attaching the reinforcement plate 41.

Since the bent projections 21 of the reinforcement plate 41 are inserted into the positioning holes 23 formed in the side plates 22, the frame 3 (Figure 10) secured to the reinforcement plate 41 is positioned with respect to the door panel 131 with satisfactory preci- sion. Accordingly, the door panel 131 can maintain a prescribed distance from the rotary door panel 120 (Figure 9) and thus both door panels 131 and 120 are protected against being damaged by contacting each other. The precise positioning of the frame 3 with respect to the door panel 132 also prevents the misalignment of a sealing material (not shown) provided along the periphery of the door panel 131 with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing 105 (Figure 9), thereby preventing generation of dew.

Example 2

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a door panel 132 of a refrigerator in a second example, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 3 taken along line IV-IV.

The door panel 132 shown in Figure 3 includes a heat-insulating element 16 (Figure 4) formed of a heat- insulating foam, side plates 22, a top cap 28, and a bottom cap 29. As best shown in Figure 4, the door panel 132 further includes an inner door plate 25 which acts as an inner surface of the door panel 132. The inner door plate 25 is integrally formed with an anchor 24 into which a gasket as a sealing material is to be inserted. The anchor 24 is formed along a perimeter of a rear surface of the inner door plate 25. A reinforcement plate 42 is provided inside the inner door plate 25 and has a depression 26 provided for accommodating the anchor 24. Adhesion between the heat-insulating element 16 and the reinforcement plate 42 is attained during a foaming step of the heat-insulating foam. The gasket can contain a magnet therein.

As in the door panel 131 in the first example, the reinforcement plate 42 has bent projections 21 along both of two side edges thereof, and the side plates 22 each have a positioning hole 23 at a prescribed position.

As described above, the depression 26 of the reinforcement plate 42 accommodates the anchor 24. As in the first example, the bent projections 21 of the reinforcement plate 42 are inserted into the positioning holes 23 formed in the outer plates 22 of the door panel 132. Due to such a structure, external air is prevented from entering the interior of the drawer-type door 110 by the gasket included in the anchor 24.

Since the bent projections 21 of the reinforce- ent plate 42 are inserted into the positioning holes 23 formed in the side plates 22, the frame 3 (Figure 10) secured to the reinforcement plate 42 is positioned with respect to the door panel 132 with satisfactory preci- sion. Accordingly, the door panel 132 can maintain a prescribed distance from the rotary door panel 120 (Figure 9) and thus both door panels 132 and 120 are protected against being damaged by contacting each other. The precise positioning of the frame 3 with respect to the door panel 132 also prevents the misalignment of a sealing material (not shown) provided along the periphery of the door panel 132 with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing 105 (Figure 9), thereby prevent- ing generation of dew.

Example 3

Figure 5 is a partial isometric view of a door panel 133 of a refrigerator in a third example, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5 taken along line VI-VI.

As shown in Figure 5, the door panel 133 has a similar structure to that of the door panel 132 in the second example, except that a resin cylinder 27 formed of any synthetic resin is inserted into each of the positioning holes 23 formed in the side plates 22 so as to surround the bent projections 21 of the reinforcement plate 42.

Due to such a structure, the frame 3 (Figure 10) secured to the reinforcement plate 42 is positioned with respect to the door panel 133 with satisfactory precision. Accordingly, the door panel 133 can maintain a prescribed distance from the rotary door panel 120 (Figure 9) and thus both door panels 133 and 120 are protected against being damaged by contacting each other. The precise positioning of the frame 3 with respect to the door panel 133 also prevents the misalignment of a sealing material (not shown) provided along the periphery of the door panel 133 with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing 105 (Figure 9), thereby prevent- ing generation of dew. Even when the temperature of the refrigerator is drastically lowered, conduction of cold heat to the side plates 22 is prevented and thus generation of dew on the side plates 22 is prevented.

Moreover, due to the anchor 24 formed along a perimeter of the inner door panel 25 and including a gasket therein, external air is prevented from entering the interior of the drawer-type door 110.

Example 4

Figure 7 is an isometric view of a door panel 134 of a refrigerator in a fourth example, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken along line VIII- VIII.

As shown in Figure 7, the door panel 134 has a similar structure to that of the door panel 131 in the first example, except that a top cap 28 which is attached to a top edge of the side plates 22 has flanges 28a, and the flanges 28a each have a positioning hole 30. As best shown in Figure 8, bent projections 21 of a reinforcement plate 44 are inserted into the corresponding positioning holes 30.

Due to such a structure, the frame 3 (Figure 10) secured to the reinforcement plate 44 is positioned with respect to the door panel 134 with satisfactory precision. Accordingly, the door panel 134 can maintain a prescribed distance from the rotary door panel 120 (Figure 9) and thus both door panels 134 and 120 are protected against being damaged by contacting each other. The precise positioning of the frame 3 with respect to the door panel 134 also prevents the misalignment of a sealing material (not shown) provided along the periphery of the door panel 134 with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing 105 (Figure 9), thereby preventing generation of dew.

The positions of bent projections and positioning holes are not limited to those described above. The positions thereof described in the above examples may be used in combination.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A refrigerator according to the present invention includes a drawer-type door for closing off a front opening of the heat-insulating housing. The drawer-type door includes a door panel including a reinforcement plate having a bent projection and an outer plate having a positioning hole. Due to such a structure, a frame slidably supported by a side wall of the refrigerator is positioned with respect to the door panel with satisfactory precision, and thus a prescribed distance can be maintained between the door panel and the rotary door panel so as to prevent both doors from being damaged by contacting each other. Thus, misalignment of a sealing material provided along the periphery of the door panel with respect to the opening of the heat-insulating housing is avoided, thereby preventing generation of dew. In the case where an anchor used for inserting the gasket is integrally formed with the inner door plate, and the anchor is accommodated by the depression formed in the reinforcement plate, external air is prevented from entering the interior of the drawer-type door by the gasket included in the anchor. In such a case also, screws for attaching the reinforcement plate can be eliminated.

In the case where a resin cylinder is inserted into the positioning hole so as to surround the bent projection of the reinforcement plate, generation of dew on the door panel is prevented even when the temperature in the refrigerator is drastically lowered.

In the case where the bent projection of the reinforcement plate is inserted into the positioning hole formed in the cap attached to the top edge of the side plate, the frame is positioned with respect to the door panel with a more satisfactory precision.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a drawer-type door for closing off a front opening of the refrigerator, the drawer-type door including: a door panel including a reinforcement plate having a rear surface adhering to a heat-insulating element and also having a bent projection, and an outer plate having a positioning hole; and a frame for securely accommodating a container, the frame being attached to the door panel and slidably supported by a side wall of the refrigerator, wherein the bent projection is inserted into the positioning hole.

2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door panel includes an inner door plate integrally formed with an anchor through which a gasket is insertable as a sealing material, the anchor being provided along a perimeter of a rear surface of the inner door plate, and wherein the reinforcement plate has a depression for accommodating the anchor.

3. A refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a resin cylinder inserted into the positioning hole so as to surround the bent projection.

4. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the outer plate is located in a top area of the door panel.

5. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the outer plate is located in a side area of the door panel.