IP Library Granted Patent US 9,444,157
Granted Patent B2
US 9,444,157 · App. 14/493,657 · Granted Sep 13, 2016

Connector and refrigerator including the same

Inventors: Sung Il Kim (Yongin-si, KR); Han Joo Yoo (Suwon-si, KR); Si Ho Jang (Yongin-si, KR); Jae Hoon Lim (Gwangju, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H01R9/16F25D23/00H01R12/81H01R13/506F25D2400/40H01R13/514H01R13/74
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,444,157
App. No.
14/493,657
Granted
Sep 13, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerator having an inner case that constitutes a storage compartment, an outer case that is coupled to an outer side of the inner case and constitutes an exterior, and a connector that connects a flexible flat cable (FFC) and wires. The connector includes a first housing having an accommodation space in which the FFC is inserted, a plurality of second housings in which a wire insertion hole into which the wires are inserted, is formed and which are coupled to the first housing, and connection members provided in the first housing and the plurality of second housings so as to electrically connect the FFC and the wires. The connector is installed at the inner case in such a way that the first housing faces the outer case and the second housings face the storage compartment.

Claims (60)

1. A refrigerator comprising:

an inner case that constitutes a storage compartment;

an outer case that is coupled to an outer side of the inner case and constitutes an exterior; and

a connector that connects a flexible flat cable (FFC) and wires,

wherein the connector comprises:

a first housing in which an accommodation space is formed and in which the FFC is inserted;

a plurality of second housings in which a wire insertion hole, into which the wires are inserted, is formed and which are coupled to the first housing; and

connection members provided in the first housing and the plurality of second housings so as to electrically connect the FFC and the wires, and

wherein the connector is installed at the inner case in such a way that the first housing faces the outer case and the second housings face the storage compartment.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a foaming space in which an insulating material is filled is provided between the outer case and the inner case, and

the FFC closely contacts an outer surface of the inner case so that the insulating material is capable of being uniformly filled in the foaming space.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first housing comprises:

a body that constitutes an exterior of the first housing;

a base that extends from the body in a first direction and has a plurality of slits formed therein; and

a cover that constitutes the accommodation space together with the base and is rotatably coupled to the body.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein each of the connection members comprises a first terminal provided in the body, and

a cable connecting portion is formed at one end of the first terminal, is coupled to the plurality of slits, and is electrically connected to the FFC in the accommodation space.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein a cover holder is formed at one end of the first terminal so as to be spaced apart from the cable connecting portion by a predetermined gap, and

insertion holes are formed in the cover in a length direction of the cover so as to correspond to the cover holder.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein, if the cover is rotated so that the FFC is inserted into the accommodation space, the cover holder is coupled to the insertion holes and faces the cable connecting portion.

7. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein a housing fastening hole that is opened in a second direction is formed in the body, and

each of the second housings comprises a casing that is coupled to the housing fastening hole and has the wire insertion hole provided in the casing.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the other end of the first terminal extends from one end of the first terminal in the second direction so that the first terminal is capable of being accommodated in the housing fastening hole.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein each of the connection members further comprises a second terminal accommodated in the wire insertion hole, and

the second terminal in the wire insertion hole is electrically connected to the other end of the first terminal that passes through the casing.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the second terminal comprises:

a wire fastening portion that is accommodated in the wire insertion hole so as to be in the second direction and electrically connected to the wires coupled to the wire insertion hole; and

a terminal coupling portion that extends from the wire fastening portion in the first direction so that the other end of the first terminal is capable of being coupled to the terminal coupling portion, and

a plurality of fixing pieces are provided at the terminal coupling portion and face an inner side of the terminal coupling portion so as to closely contact an outer circumferential surface of the other end of the first terminal.

11. refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the connector further comprises a binder that is coupled to the second housings in the first direction, and

the binder comprises:

an insertion portion that is coupled to the wire insertion hole; and

a support portion that is spaced apart from the insertion portion by a predetermined gap in a vertical direction and supports an outer circumferential surface of each of the second housings if the insertion portion is coupled to the wire insertion hole.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the insertion portion in the wire insertion hole supports the wire fastening portion.

13. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein a hanging jaw that protrudes toward an outer side of the body is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the body corresponding to the housing fastening hole, and

each of the second housings further comprises a holder unit that is coupled to the hanging jaw so as to reinforce a coupling force of the casing with respect to the housing fastening hole.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the holder unit is coupled to the casing, and

a protrusion portion is formed at one end of the holder unit in the first direction and is fastened to the hanging jaw.

15. A connector comprising:

a first housing in which an accommodation space is formed and in which a flexible flat cable (FFC) is inserted;

a plurality of second housings in which a wire insertion hole, into which wires are inserted, is formed and which are coupled to the first housing;

connection members provided in the first housing and in the plurality of second housings so as to electrically connect the FFC and the wires; and

a binder that is coupled to the wire insertion hole formed in each of the plurality of second housings so as to prevent the plurality of second housings coupled to each other from being separated from each other.

16. The connector of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of second housings are laterally coupled to each other, and

a protrusion rib is formed at a side of one of the plurality of second housings and protrudes toward an outer side of one of the plurality of second housings, and

a rib accommodation portion is formed at a side of another one of the plurality of second housings so as to be coupled to the protrusion rib and to be recessed into an inner side of the another one of the plurality of second housings.

17. The connector of claim 15 , wherein each of the connection members comprises:

a first terminal provided in the body that constitutes an exterior of the first housing; and

a second terminal that is provided in a casing that constitutes an exterior of the second housings and electrically connected to the first terminal, and

the first terminal and the second terminal are formed of a material through which a current flows.

18. The connector of claim 17 , wherein the first terminal comprises:

a cable connecting portion that protrudes in a first direction and is electrically connected to the FFC in the accommodation space; and

a terminal connecting portion that extends from the cable connecting portion so as to be in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

19. The connector of claim 18 , wherein the second terminal comprises:

a wire fastening portion that is accommodated in the wire insertion hole and electrically connected to the wires coupled to the wire insertion hole; and

a terminal coupling portion that extends from the wire fastening portion so as to be electrically connected to the terminal connecting portion that passes through the second housings in the wire insertion hole.

20. A connector comprising:

a first housing comprising an accommodation space to insert a flexible flat cable (FFC);

a plurality of second housings comprising wire insertion holes and to couple to the first housing; and

a binder coupled to the wire insertion holes to prevent the plurality of second housings from being separated from each other.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2014
From: KIM, SUNG IL; YOO, HAN JOO; JANG, SI HO; LIM, JAE HOON
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 033803/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2014-0001247 · Jan 6, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150194749A1 · Jul 9, 2015