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US 12,000,644 B2Granted
Refrigerator
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorDongchul Jin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a cabinet and a door. The door includes a panel assembly, a door frame, a door liner, and an insulator provided in a space defined by the panel assembly and the door frame. The panel assembly includes a front panel and a rear panel. The door further includes a rod that connects the front panel to the rear panel, a heater housing that covers the rod and is attached to a rear surface of the front panel, and a heating device coupled to the heater housing and in contact with the rear surface of the front panel.
Claims19
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet having a storage chamber;
- and
- a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage chamber,
- wherein the door comprises:
- a panel assembly comprising:
- a front panel that is made of glass and defines a front surface of the door,
- a rear panel made of glass and spaced apart from the front panel, the rear panel defining a rear surface of the door, and
- a rod that is disposed between the front panel and the rear panel and defines a sealed space between the front panel and the rear panel,
- a side frame that is coupled to the front panel and defines a side surface of the door,
- an upper frame that is coupled to the side frame and defines an upper surface of the door,
- a lower frame that is coupled to the side frame and defines a lower surface of the door,
- a door liner that has a rectangular frame shape and is coupled to the upper frame, the lower frame, the side frame, and the rear panel, and
- an insulator provided in a foaming space that is defined by the panel assembly, the upper frame, the lower frame, and the side frame,
- wherein at least one of the upper frame or the lower frame comprises:
- a main part that defines a horizontal exterior of the door,
- a front surface portion that extends vertically from the main part and is disposed on the front panel, and
- a front protruding portion that extends forward from the main part and is seated on the front panel, and
- wherein the main part defines a contraction prevention groove that is depressed and extends along the main part in a longitudinal direction of the main part parallel to the front panel, wherein the contraction prevention groove is disposed between the main part and the front protruding portion.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.