IP Library Granted Patent US 8,485,617
Granted Patent B2
US 8,485,617 · App. 12/461,556 · Granted Jul 16, 2013

Refrigerator

Inventors: Young Gwi Park (Gwangsan-gu, KR); Joo Hee Song (Nam-gu, KR); Yong Seok Kim (Gwangsan-gu, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,485,617
App. No.
12/461,556
Granted
Jul 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator including a main body provided with a storage chamber; a door to respectively open and close the storage chamber; a control unit installed the door to select an operation; a reception part provided in the door to receive the control unit; and an installation hole provided on a side end of the door to cause the control unit to be inserted into the reception part. The control unit is installed through the side end of the door, which is deviated from a user's line of sight.

Claims (35)

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body defining at least one storage chamber;

at least one door including a door frame forming an external shape of the door and a heat insulating member filling an inner space of the door frame, the door to open and close the at least one storage chamber;

a control unit installed in the door to select an operation;

a partition frame formed integrally with the door frame to form a reception part such that the reception part is divided from the inner space of the door frame filled with the heat insulating member;

an installation hole formed on a side end of the door to cause the control unit to be inserted into the reception part;

at least one guide part to guide the control unit being inserted into the installation hole; and

a cover installed at the installation hole to close the installation hole, wherein the cover comprises at least one support protrusion to support the side surface or the rear surface of the control unit.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a least one support protrusion comprises a support protrusion to support the side surface of the control unit and at least one support protrusion to support the rear surface of the control unit.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising a handle groove provided on the cover.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising a pair of hooks latched into an installation hole to maintain the installation state of the cover in the installation hole, the hooks being formed at respective sides of the cover.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising switches to select the operation and display units to display an operating state of the refrigerator, the switches and the display units being provided on a front surface of the control unit.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , further comprising a transparent member installed in a front of the door to form a front surface of the door,

wherein a transparent window part to show the display units to the outside of the door is provided at a position of the transparent member corresponding to the display units.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the switches include electrostatic switches operated by static electricity.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein:

a first side of the door is rotatably installed on the main body; and

the installation hole is provided on a second side of the door opposite the first side.

9. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body defining at least one storage chamber;

at least one door including a door frame forming an external shape of the door and a heat insulating member filling an inner space of the door frame, the door to open and close the at least one storage chamber;

a control unit installed in the door to select an operation;

a partition frame formed integrally with the door frame to form a reception part such that the reception part is divided from the inner space of the door frame filled with the heat insulating member;

an installation hole formed on a side end of the door to cause the control unit to be inserted into the reception part; and

at least one guide part to guide the control unit being inserted into the installation hole;

wherein the at least one guide part further comprising a plurality of guide parts on a rear surface of the reception part and slantingly protruded toward a front portion of the door to guide the control unit forward.

10. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body defining at least one storage chamber;

at least one door including a door frame forming an external shape of the door and a heat insulating member filling an inner space of the door frame, the door to open and close the at least one storage chamber;

a control unit installed in the door to select an operation;

a partition frame formed integrally with the door frame to form a reception part such that the reception part is divided from the inner space of the door frame filled with the heat insulating member;

an installation hole formed on a side end of the door to cause the control unit to be inserted into the reception part;

at least one guide part to guide the control unit being inserted into the installation hole;

comprising a cover installed at the installation hole to close the installation hole; and

a plurality of first support protrusions to support respective sides of the control unit and a plurality of second support protrusions to support a rear surface of the control unit, the first and second support protrusions being provided on the cover.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2009
From: PARK, YOUNG GWI; SONG, JOO HEE; KIM, YONG SEOK
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 023128/0466 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2008-0109358 · Nov 5, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100107679A1 · May 6, 2010