Door for refrigerator and refrigerator

Abstract

A door for a refrigerator includes a door housing, which is provided with a thermal insulation material therein, where the thermal insulation material is combined with the door housing. The door housing has a concave portion recessed backwards from a front surface of the door, where one end of the concave portion is provided with a ramp that extends forwards. A detachable member is provided and is isolated from the thermal insulation material and is connected to the door housing. Accordingly, at least one part of the ramp is formed by the detachable member.

Claims

1. A door for a refrigerator, the door comprising: a door housing defining a front surface of the door; a thermal insulation material disposed in said door housing, wherein said thermal insulation material is combined with said door housing; a concave portion recessed backwards from said front surface of the door, wherein one end of said concave portion has a ramp extending forwards; and a detachable member isolated from said thermal insulation material and connected to said door housing, at least one part of said ramp is formed by said detachable member, said at least one part of said ramp being inclined relative to said front surface of the door.

2. The door according to claim 1, wherein: said door housing has an accommodating cavity formed therein and disposed next to said concave portion; and said detachable member has a cover connected to said door housing, said cover is used to cover said accommodating cavity adjacent to said concave portion, said cover has an extension portion that extends towards said concave portion, and said extension portion forms said at least one part of said ramp.

3. The door according to claim 2, further comprising a user interface electrical module that is at least partially accommodated in said accommodating cavity.

4. The door according to claim 2, wherein said door housing contains a first positioning portion that is disposed outside said accommodating cavity and used to position said extension portion in at least one direction.

5. The door according to claim 2, wherein one of said door housing or said extension portion has an insertion groove formed therein and disposed behind said ramp, and the other one of said door housing and said extension portion is provided with an insertion portion inserted into said insertion groove.

6. The door according to claim 5, wherein said insertion portion is one of at least two insertion portions that are spaced apart; and further comprising a first positioning portion disposed between adjacent said insertion portions for positioning said extension portion in at least one direction and provided in said insertion groove.

7. The door according to claim 5, wherein said insertion portion is formed by a raise block disposed on a tail end of said extension portion.

8. The door according to claim 3, wherein: said cover has a substrate portion; said user interface electrical module is disposed on a rear side of said substrate portion; and said extension portion is bent inwards from one end of said substrate portion and extends towards said concave portion.

9. The door according to claim 1, wherein said ramp contains a first ramp portion formed by said door housing and a second ramp portion formed by said inclined part of said detachable member, wherein at least one part of said second ramp portion protrudes more forwards than said first ramp portion.

10. The door according to claim 9, wherein said second ramp portion has a curved surface.

11. The door according to claim 9, wherein: said door housing has an insertion groove formed therein and disposed on an inner side of said first ramp portion; and said detachable member has an insertion portion inserted into said insertion groove.

12. The door according to claim 1, further comprising a front panel having an edge with an opening formed therein corresponding to said concave portion and said detachable member, said front panel having a front surface being flush to at least one part of a front surface of said detachable member.

13. The door according to claim 1, wherein said door housing has a handle groove formed therein and in communication with said concave portion.

14. The door according to claim 2, further comprising: multiple buckle structures that are spaced along a length direction of said cover and are used to perform a buckling connection on said cover to said door housing are disposed between said door housing and said cover; and a positioning structure is separately provided between said door housing and two ends of said cover, said positioning structure positions said cover in a width direction of said cover.

15. A refrigerator, comprising: a door having a front surface, said door containing: a door housing; a thermal insulation material disposed in said door housing, said thermal insulation material is combined with said door housing; a concave portion recessed backwards from said front surface of said door, wherein one end of said concave portion has a ramp extending forwards; and a detachable member isolated from said thermal insulation material and connected to said door housing, at least one part of said ramp is formed by said detachable member, said at least one part of said ramp being inclined relative to said front surface of said door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial, perspective exploded view of a door according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a partial schematic enlarged view of the door shown in FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V shown in FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged perspective view of a door of an electrical appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, where a cover is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a diagrammatic, perspective view of a refrigerator 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 100 includes a body 101 having a first storage compartment (not shown in the figure) and a second storage compartment (not shown in the figure) that are provided side by side. The refrigerator 100 further includes a pair of side-by-side doors 1 connected to the body 101 to respectively close corresponding storage compartments.

(8) Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 5, the door 1 includes a door housing 2, which includes a thermal insulation space 22 filled with a thermal insulation material 21. The thermal insulation material 21 is combined with an inner side of the door housing 2.

(9) In this embodiment, the door housing 2 may include a door inner wall 23, a front wall 28 located in front of the door inner wall 23 and spaced, by a distance, from the door inner wall 23, a pair of upright columns 24, connecting the door inner wall 23 to a front wall 28, on a longitudinal side and a pair of transverse covers 25, connecting the door inner wall 23 to the front wall 28, on a transverse side.

(10) The door housing 2 may further include a handle member 26 connected to one of the upright columns 24. The handle member 26 includes a handle groove 27.

(11) The door inner wall 23, the front wall 28, the upright columns 24, the transverse covers 25, and the handle member 26 enclose into the thermal insulation space 22 as a part of the door housing 2. The components are undetachably combined with the thermal insulation material 21. Because the components are closely connected to the thermal insulation material 21, they cannot be detached from the door 1 without damaging the door 1.

(12) It should be understood that the door housing 2 may also have a structure different from that of this embodiment. For example, the front wall 28 and the upright columns 24 and/or the transverse covers 25 may be formed by a single component.

(13) The door 1 includes a front panel 5 connected in front of the door housing 2. The front panel 5 forms at least an overwhelming majority of a front surface of the door 1.

(14) The front panel 5 may be formed of a material, such as glass, resin, or ceramic. The front panel 5 may be pasted on a front surface of the door housing 2.

(15) The door 1 includes a concave portion 3 recessed backwards from the front surface of the door 1. In this embodiment, the concave portion 3 is in communication with a handle groove 27. A user stretches a hand into the handle groove 27 through the concave portion 3.

(16) One end of the concave portion 3 is provided with a ramp 31 extending forwards. In this embodiment, a most forward part of the ramp 31 may be located at a position flush to the front surface of the door 1.

(17) The door 1 includes a detachable member 4 that is isolated from the thermal insulation material 21 and connected to the door housing 2. At least one part of the ramp 31 is formed by the detachable member 4. Further, the most forward part of the ramp 31 is formed by the detachable member 4.

(18) A side edge of the front panel 5 extends along the concave portion 3. When the front panel 5 is connected to the door housing 2, the front panel 5 may be pressed on the ramp 31, causing damages to the front panel 5. According to this embodiment of the present invention, at least one part of the ramp 31 is formed by the detachable member 4. Because the detachable member 4 is isolated from the thermal insulation material 21, the detachable member 4 may be connected to the door housing 2 after the front panel 5 is connected to the door housing 2, so that the height of the door housing 2 on the corresponding ramp 31 in the thickness direction of the door 1 can be reduced because the detachable member 4 has not been assembled on the door 1 when the front panel 5 is connected to the door housing 2, thereby preventing the front panel 5 from being carelessly pressed on the ramp 31 and preventing the front panel 5 from being damaged.

(19) The detachable member 4 may include a cover 6 connected to the door housing 2. The cover 6 is used to cover an accommodating cavity 7 adjacent to the concave portion 3. The cover 6 includes an extension portion 61 that extends towards the concave portion 3. The extension portion 61 forms at least one part of the ramp 31.

(20) The door 1 includes a user interface electrical module 8 that is at least partially accommodated in the accommodating cavity 7. The user interface electrical module 8 may include an input unit used to receive an instruction input by the user and/or an output unit for displaying information to the user. The user interface electrical module 8 may include a control circuit board connected to the input unit and/or the output unit.

(21) For example, the user interface electrical module may include a touch unit to receive a touch instruction of the user. In an optional embodiment, the user interface electrical module may alternatively receive the instruction of the user by using other input apparatuses such as keys.

(22) The cover 6 includes a substrate portion 62. The user interface electrical module 8 is located on a rear side of the substrate portion 62. The user interface electrical module 8 may be fixed on the rear side of the substrate portion 62.

(23) The extension portion 61 is bent inwards from one side, close to the concave portion 3, of the substrate portion 62 and extends towards the concave portion 3.

(24) A side edge of the front panel 5 is provided with an opening corresponding to the concave portion 3 and the detachable member 4-cover 6. A front surface of the front panel 5 may be flush to a front surface of the substrate portion 62.

(25) In this embodiment, a part of the ramp 31 is formed by the door housing 2 undetachably combined with the thermal insulation material 21, and a part of the ramp 31 is formed by the detachable member 4. Therefore, the ramp 31 includes a first ramp portion 32 formed by the door housing 2 and a second ramp portion 33 formed by the detachable member 4. Further, at least one part of the second ramp portion 33 protrudes more forwards than the first ramp portion 32. The most forward part of the ramp 31 may be formed by the second ramp portion 33.

(26) The second ramp portion 33 includes a curved surface, so that a smooth curved surface performs seamless transition between the first ramp portion 32 and the front surface of the substrate portion 62.

(27) The door housing 2 includes an insertion groove 9 located behind the ramp 31. The extension portion 61 includes an insertion portion 611 inserted into the insertion groove 9.

(28) In this embodiment, the insertion groove 9 is located on an inner side of the first ramp portion 32. The insertion portion 611 located on the detachable member 4 is inserted into the insertion groove 9. The insertion portion 61 may be formed by a raise block located on a tail end of the extension portion 61.

(29) The tail end of the extension portion 61 is provided with at least two insertion portions 611 that are spaced. A first positioning portion 10 that is located between the adjacent insertion portions 611 and used to position the extension portion 61 in a width direction of the cover 6 is provided in the insertion groove 9.

(30) Because the door housing 2 includes the first positioning portion 10 that is located outside the accommodating cavity 7 and used to position the extension portion 61 so as to position the cover 6 (the detachable member 4), a gap between the cover 6 (the detachable member 4) and the door housing 2 can be controlled more accurately and uniformly.

(31) As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, a positioning structure that positions the cover 6 in the width direction of the cover 6 is further provided on one end, far from the concave portion 3, of the door housing 2 and the cover 6. The positioning structure includes a positioning port 11 located on one end, far from the concave portion 3, of the accommodating cavity 7, and a protruding portion 12 located on one end, opposite to the extension portion 61, of the cover 6 and matching the positioning port 11. It should be understood that in other embodiments, positions of the positioning port 11 and the protruding portion 12 may alternatively be exchanged with each other.

(32) Multiple buckle structures that are spaced along a length direction of the cover 6 and are used to perform a buckling connection on the cover 6 to the door housing 2 are provided between the door housing 2 and the cover 6. The buckle structure includes multiple protrusions 13 provided on an inner wall of the accommodating cavity 7 and multiple elastic arms 14 that extend from an inner side of the substrate portion 62 inwards and have elasticity. The elastic arm 14 is provided with multiple clamping ports 15 for receiving the protrusions 13.

(33) In this way, the cover 6 is fixed by the buckle structures along a length direction of the cover 6, and two ends of the cover 6 are positioned in the width direction of the cover 6.

(34) As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, an inner side of the extension portion 61 is provided with a protruding rib 16, which abuts against the front surface of the door housing 2, so as to prevent the extension portion 61 from deforming upon a force.

(35) In the foregoing embodiments, only after a foaming agent is injected into the door housing 2 and hardened into the thermal insulation material 21, the front panel 5 is connected to the door housing 2; that is, the front panel 5 does not participate in the foaming process of the door 1. Then, in an optional embodiment, the front panel 5 may alternatively be used as a part of the door housing and is closely combined with the thermal insulation material 21. For example, before the foaming process, the front panel 5 is connected to a door frame to form a front boundary of a thermal insulation space; in the foaming process, the terminal insulation material is closely connected to the front panel 5.

(36) Various embodiments of single parts descried with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 may be combined with each other in any given manner to implement advantages of the present invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the shown embodiments, and generally, other means except the shown means may also be used, as long as the means can also achieve the same effect.