AU2008353040B2

AU2008353040B2 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: AU2008353040B2
Application number: AU2008353040A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Do-Hyung Kim
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2008-03-18
Filing date: 2008-12-30
Publication date: 2012-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2028-12-30
Also published as: MX2010010211A; CA2717884C; WO2009116721A1; KR100951294B1; US20110023529A1; KR20090099877A; EP2268988A1; EP2268988B1; EP2268988A4; MX350368B; CA2717884A1; AU2008353040A1

Abstract

A refrigerator is disclosed, comprising, a partition member configured to partition a front opening of a cooling chamber into a plurality of small openings, and an assembly guide formed between the partition member and a refrigerator main body and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member, whereby the partition member can fast easily be coupled to an accurate position and a malfunction and a leakage of cold air can be avoided.

Description

WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 [DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title] REFRIGERATOR [Technical Field] 5 The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, a refrigerator configured such that a front opening of a cooling chamber is partitioned (divided) into a plurality of small openings, each of which can be individually open and closed. [Background Art] 10 As well known, a refrigerator is an apparatus for freshly storing foods in a cooling or frozen state. Such refrigerator includes a main body having a cooling chamber, doors for opening and closing the cooling chamber, and a refrigeration cycle device for supplying cold air into the cooling chamber. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary refrigerator according 15 to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body 10 having a refrigerating chamber 20 and a freezing chamber 30 therein, and refrigerating chamber doors 25 and a freezing chamber door 35 for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber 20 and the freezing chamber 30, respectively. The refrigerating chamber 20 is formed at an upper region of the 20 refrigerator main body 10, and the refrigerating chamber doors 25 are provided in plurality in number at the front surface of the refrigerating chamber 20 so as to open and close the refrigerating chamber 20. A dispenser 27 is disposed at one of the refrigerating chamber doors 25 so as to allow a user to take water or ice therefrom without opening the 25 refrigerating chamber door 25. Further, a home bar 28 may be disposed at another one of the refrigerating chamber doors 25. The freezing chamber 30 is formed at a lower region of the refrigerating 1 2 main body 10. The freezing chamber 30 is provided with the freezing chamber door 35 which is slidable in a back and forth direction of the refrigerator main body 10. A storing container 37 for keeping foods therein may be disposed in a rear side of the freezing chamber door 35. The storing container 37 may be 5 configured to be slidable back and forth integrally with the freezing chamber door 35. However, in the related art refrigerator, the freezing chamber door 35 is configured to open and close the overall front opening of the freezing chamber 30, whereby a relatively great loss of cold air may be caused upon pulling food in 10 or taking foods out. Further, upon opening and closing the freezing chamber 30, the freezing chamber door 35 and the storing container 37 containing foods are integrally slid back and forth. As a result, the sliding operation of the freezing chamber door 35 may not smoothly be done due to the load of the freezing chamber door 35 and 15 the storing container 37 containing foods. Further, the storing container 37 containing the foods are extended out of the freezing chamber 30 upon the freezing chamber door 35 being pulled out, and thereby such foods contact external air with a relatively high temperature and moisture, which may badly affect the foods. 20 Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia on or before the priority date of the claims herein. 25 Comprises/comprising and grammatical variations thereof when used in this specification are to be taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 30 3 [Disclosure] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a refrigerator including: a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber; a partition member coupled to a front portion of the cooling chamber and configured 5 to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber into a plurality of small openings; and an assembly guide formed between the partition member and the refrigerator main body and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member. Here, the assembly guide may include a first switch and a second switch 10 both coupled to the partition member to protrude towards the refrigerator main body and contacting doors installed at both sides of the partition member, and a first switch receiving portion and a second switch receiving portion formed in the refrigerator main body and each configured to receive at least one region of the corresponding switch. 15 The partition member may be coupled to the refrigerator main body in a right-and-left direction. The first switch and the second switch may all be disposed at one end portion of the partition member. The assembly guide may further include a protrusion protruding from 20 another end portion of the partition member towards the refrigerator main body, and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. The first switch and the second switch may be disposed at both end portions of the partition member, respectively. 25 The first switch receiving portion and the second switch receiving portion may be formed to be open towards a central portion of the cooling chamber.

WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 The partition member may be coupled to the refrigerator main body in an up-and-down direction. The first switch and the second switch may all be disposed at one end portion of the partition member. 5 The assembly guide may further include a protrusion protruding from another end portion of the partition member towards the refrigerator main body, and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. The first switch and the second switch may be disposed at both end 10 portions of the partition member, respectively. The first switch receiving portion and the second switch receiving portion may be formed to be open towards a central portion of the cooling chamber. The assembly guide may include a protrusion protruding from the partition member towards the refrigerator main body, and an accommodating portion 15 formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. The protrusion may be formed in plurality at both sides of the partition member. Switches may be disposed at the protrusions to be contactable with doors disposed at both sides of the partition member. 20 The protrusion may be formed at one side of the partition member, and a switch contactable with a door disposed at one side of the partition member may be coupled to another side of the partition member to protrude towards the refrigerator main body. In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator 25 including: a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber; a partition member coupled to a front portion of the cooling chamber and configured to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber into a plurality of small openings; switches 4 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 coupled to at least one end portion of the partition member; and switch receiving portions formed in the refrigerator main body and each configured to receive at least one region of the corresponding switch so as to guide the partition member upon coupling the partition member. 5 Here, the refrigerator may further include a protrusion protruding from at least one end portion of the partition member, and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. [Advantageous Effect] 10 As mentioned above, according to the present invention, at least one partition member can be disposed at a front portion (region, area) of a cooling chamber so as to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber into a plurality of small openings. Accordingly, such small openings can selectively be open and closed without opening the overall cooling chamber upon putting foods in or taking 15 foods out, so as to prevent a loss of cold air. In addition, the size-reduced doors can facilitate an opening and closing operation. Also, an assembly guide is formed between at least an end portion of a partition member and a refrigerator main body, so as to allow a fast and facilitated coupling of the partition member. 20 Further, the assembly guide is formed between the partition member and the refrigerator main body so as to allow the partition member to be aligned to a correct position, thereby reducing the chance of a malfunction being occurred. In addition, the partition member can correctly be coupled so as to prevent an occurrence of cold air leakage due to an erroneous assembly. 25 Door switches for opening and closing the small openings can be integrally coupled to an end portion of a partition member so as to facilitate a fabrication of a refrigerator and reduce a fabricating cost thereof. 5 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 Door switches are protrudingly coupled to an end portion of a partition member and switch receiving portions for receiving part of each door switch are formed in the refrigerator main body, so as to facilitate assembling of the partition member and the switches, and allow the partition member to be fast easily 5 coupled to a correct position. Accordingly, a malfunction of doors for opening and closing the small openings can be prevented and also an occurrence of cold air leakage due to an erroneous assembly can be avoided. Also, the configuration, in which door switches are coupled to an end portion of a partition member, a protrusion is formed at another end portion of the 10 partition member, and switch receiving portions and an accommodating portion are formed in a refrigerator main body, respectively, allows a fast and easy assembling of the partition member at a correct position. [Description of Drawings] 15 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary refrigerator according to the related art; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2; 20 FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of door switches of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in a coupled state of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 25 FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a partition member of FIG. 6 before being coupled; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a 6 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a partition member of FIG. 8 before being coupled; FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a 5 fourth embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X I -X I of FIG. 10. [Mode for Invention] Hereinafter, a refrigerator in accordance with the preferred embodiments 10 of the present invention will be described in more detail. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of door switches of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line V - V in a coupled state of FIG. 3. As shown in 15 FIG. 2, a refrigerator according to the present invention may include a refrigerator main body 110 having a cooling chamber, a partition member 150 coupled to a front portion of the cooling chamber 130 and configured to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber 130 into a plurality of small openings, and an assembly guide 170 formed between the partition member 150 and the refrigerator main 20 body 110 and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member 150. Here, the cooling chamber may denote both a refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber 130. The partition member 150 may be installed at both the refrigerating chamber 120 and the freezing chamber 130. Alternatively, the partition chamber 150 may be installed at one of those chambers. Hereinafter, it will be described 25 that the partition chamber 150 is installed at the freezing chamber 130. The refrigerator main body 110 may be equipped with an outer case 112a configuring an outer appearance, and inner cases 112b disposed inside the outer 7 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 case 11 2a to be spaced apart from the outer case 11 2a by an interval for filling an insulating material and configuring the refrigerating chamber 120 and the freezing chamber 130 therein. The refrigerating chamber 120 is formed at an upper region of the 5 refrigerator main body 110. A pair of refrigerating chamber doors 125 are installed at the front surface of the refrigerating chamber 120 to open and close the front opening of the refrigerating chamber 120. A dispenser 127 is disposed at one of the refrigerating chamber doors 125 so as to allow a user to take water or ice therefrom without opening the refrigerating chamber door 125. Further, a home 10 bar 128 may be disposed at another one of the refrigerating chamber doors 125. The freezing chamber 130 is formed at a lower region of the refrigerator main body 110. The partition member 150 is coupled to the front portion of the freezing chamber 130 so as to partition (divide) the front opening of the freezing chamber 130 into a plurality of, namely, two small openings. The partition member 15 150 is coupled to the refrigerator main body 110 in a right-and-left direction. Thus, the partition member 150 may be configured to partition the front opening of the freezing chamber 130 such that an up-and-down width can be relatively narrower than a right-and-left width, whereby the partitioned small openings can selectively be open and closed. The selective opening of the small openings allows 20 preventing of the loss of cold air. Further, since the freezing chamber door 141 becomes small in size, its opening and closing operation can easily be performed. Here, the partition member 150 may be disposed such that two small openings can have the same size or moved up or down to be rearranged such that the two small openings can have different sizes. 25 Both end portions of the partition member 150 may be configured to be coupled to the front portion of the refrigerator main body 110 by screws 154. Here, the partition member 150 may be coupled to the refrigerator main body 110 by 8 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 hooks or fixed thereto by other fixing members. Through holes 152 through which the screws 154 are inserted are formed through both end portions of the partition member 150. Gaskets 156 contacting with the freezing chamber door 141, which will be explained later, are disposed at upper and lower surfaces of the partition 5 member 150, respectively. Two freezing chamber doors 141 for opening and closing the two small openings partitioned by the partition member 150 are disposed at the freezing chamber 130. The freezing chamber doors 141 are slidable in a back and forth direction of the refrigerator main body 110 so as to open and close the small 10 openings of the freezing chamber 130. A handle 143 may be installed at a front surface of each freezing chamber door 141. A storing container or storage unit 145 for keeping foods therein may be disposed at a rear side of each freezing chamber door 141. The storing container or storage unit 145 may be integrally formed with the corresponding freezing 15 chamber door 141 or independently formed. Rails 147 may be installed at both sides of each freezing chamber door 141 such that each freezing chamber door 141 can be slid in a back and forth direction of the refrigerator main body 110. Holders 133 for supporting the rails 147 may be installed at both inner walls of the freezing chamber 130. 20 As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly guide 170 may include a first switch 171 and a second switch 172 coupled to the partition wall 150 to protrude toward the refrigerator main body 110, and a first switch receiving portion 181 and a second switch receiving portion 182 formed in the refrigerator main body 110 to receive at least one region of each of the first and second switches 171 and 172, respectively. 25 The first switch 171 and the second switch 172 may be installed at one end portion, namely, at a right end portion of the partition member 150 so as to be contactable with the respective freezing chamber doors 141 installed at both sides 9 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 of the partition member 150. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the first switch 171 and the second switch 172 may be provided with a body 173 formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a press button 175 protruded from a front surface of the body 173. The button 5 175 is pressurized and operated by the freezing chamber door 141 when the freezing chamber door 141 closes the corresponding small opening. The body 173 of the first switch 171 upwardly protrudes from an upper surface of the partition member 150 and simultaneously protrudes towards a rear side of the partition member 150, i.e., towards the freezing chamber 130. The body 173 of the second 10 switch 172 downwardly protrudes from a lower surface of the partition member 150 and simultaneously protrudes towards the freezing chamber 130. The refrigerator main body 110, in more detail, the inner case 112b may be provided with insertion portions 115 recessed such that both end portions of the partition member 150 can be inserted therein. A screw coupling member 117 to 15 which the screw 154 can be coupled may be formed at each insertion portion 115. The first and second receiving portions 181 and 182 are formed at the inner wall of the inner case 112b such that one regions of the first and second switches 171 and 172 can be received therein, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the first switch receiving portion 181 may be 20 recessed in the inner wall of the inner case 11 2b so as to receive one region of the first switch 171, i.e., a right region of a rear end portion of the first switch 171 in the drawing. The second switch receiving portion 182 may be recessed in the inner wall of the inner case 112b so as to receive a right region of a rear end portion of the second switch 172. The first and second switch receiving portions 25 181 and 182 may all be configured to be open towards a central side of the freezing chamber 130. Here, the first and second switch receiving portions 181 and 182 may be formed such that an upper surface 183, a lower surface 185 and 10 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 a right side surface 187 of the respective first and second switch receiving portions 181 and 182 can be aligned respectively with an upper surface, a lower surface and a right surface of the respective first and second switches 171 and 172. Accordingly, upon coupling the partition member 150, the partition member 150, 5 the first switch 171 and the second switch 172 are inserted in their correct positions, resulting in allowing a fast and easy coupling of the partition member 150. With such configuration, when desiring to couple the partition member 150 to the refrigerator main body 110, first, the partition member 150 is horizontally 10 disposed at the front portion of the freezing chamber 130. Rear end portions of right sides of the first and second switches 171 and 172 are then placed at each inlet of the first and second switch receiving portions 181 and 182 to be then pressed backwardly. Accordingly, the first and second switches 171 and 172 are guided by the first switch receiving portion 181 and the second switch receiving 15 portion 182 to thusly be inserted in the corresponding receiving portions, respectively. While each switch 171 and 172 is inserted, both ends of the partition member 150 are inserted respectively in the insertion portions 115 of the inner case 112b. Here, each through hole 152 of the partition member 150 is communicated with the screw coupling portion 117 of each insertion hole 115. 20 Thus, when the screws 154 are coupled to the screw coupling portions 117 through the through holes 152, the partition member 150 is completely coupled to the refrigerator main body 110. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view 25 showing a partition member of FIG. 6 before being coupled. The aforementioned construction and the same or equivalent components will not be described again for the sake of brief explanation, and the same reference numerals will be given 11 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 therefor. As shown in FIG. 6, a refrigerator according to the present invention may include a refrigerator main body 110 having a refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber 130, a partition member 210 coupled to a front portion of the freezing chamber 130 and configured to partition a front opening of the freezing 5 chamber 130 into a plurality of small openings, and an assembly guide 230 formed between the partition member 210 and the refrigerator main body 110 and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member 210. The refrigerating chamber 120 and the freezing chamber 130 are formed in an up-and-down direction of the refrigerator main body 110. A plurality of 10 refrigerating doors 125 for selectively opening and closing the refrigerating chamber 120 are installed at the refrigerating chamber 120. The partition member 210 may be coupled to the opening of the freezing chamber 130 in an up-and-down direction. The partition member 150 may be configured to partition the front opening of the freezing chamber 130 such that an 15 up-and-down width can be relatively wider than a right-and-left width, whereby the partitioned small openings can selectively be open and closed. The selective opening of the small openings allows preventing of the loss of cold air. Further, since freezing chamber doors 141 become small in size, their opening and closing operation can easily be performed. Here, the partition member 210 may be 20 disposed such that two small openings can have the same size or moved up or down to be rearranged such that the two small openings can have different sizes. Through holes 212 may be formed through both end portions of the partition member 210 such that the partition member 210 can be coupled to the front portion of the refrigerator main body 110 by screws 214. Here, the partition 25 member 210 may be coupled to the refrigerator main body 110 by hooks or fixed thereto by other fixing members. Two freezing chamber doors 201 for opening and closing the two small 12 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 openings partitioned by the partition member 150 are disposed at the freezing chamber 130. Each of the two freezing chamber doors 201 may be configured to have an up-and-down width relatively wider than a right-and-left width so as to correspond to the size of each small opening. A handle 203 may be attached to 5 the front surface of each freezing chamber door 201, and a storing container 205 for keeping foods therein may be formed at a rear side of each freezing chamber door 201. Each freezing chamber door 201 is slidable in a back and forth direction of the refrigerator main body 110 so as to open and close the corresponding small 10 openings of the freezing chamber 130. Rails 207 may be installed at a lower portion of each freezing chamber door 201 so as to facilitate opening and closing the freezing chamber doors 201. Holders 193 to which the rails 207 are engaged to be supported may be installed at a lower surface of the freezing chamber 130. Here, the respective freezing chamber doors 201 may be rotatably coupled to the 15 refrigerator main body 110. Alternatively, the freezing chamber doors 201 may be configured such that one of the two freezing chamber doors 201 is rotatably coupled to the refrigerator main body 110 and another one may be slidable back and forth with respect to the refrigerator main body 110. Referring to FIG. 7, the assembly guide 230 may include a first switch 231 20 and a second switch 232 coupled to the partition member 210 to protrude towards the refrigerator main body 110, and a first switch receiving portion 241 and a second switch receiving portion 232 formed in the refrigerator main body 110 for receive at least one region of each of the first and second switches 231 and 232, respectively. The first switch 231 and the second switch 232 may be disposed at 25 one end portion, i.e., an upper end portion of the partition member 210 so as to contactable respectively with the freezing chamber doors 201 disposed at both sides of the partition member 210. 13 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 Insertion portions 115 in which both end portions of the partition member 210 can be inserted may be formed at upper and lower portions of an edge of the front opening formed at the freezing chamber 130 of the refrigerator main body 110, namely, of the inner case 11 2b. A screw coupling portion 117 to which screws 5 are coupled may be formed in each insertion portion 115. The first switch receiving portion 241 and the second switch receiving portion 242 may be formed at an inner wall of the inner case 112b, namely, at the upper portion of the edge of the front opening formed at the freezing chamber 130 so as to receive one regions of the first switch 231 and the second switch 232, 10 respectively. The first switch receiving portion 241 may be formed to be upwardly recessed so as to guide upper surface and left surface of the first switch 231. The second switch receiving portion 242 may be formed to be upwardly recessed so as to guide upper surface and right surface of the second switch 232. Alternatively, the first and second switch receiving portions 241 and 242 may be formed to be all 15 downwardly open. With such configuration, when coupling the partition member 210 to the refrigerator main body 110, the first switch 231 and the second switch 232 are guided by the first switch receiving portion 241 and the second switch receiving portion 242. Accordingly, the partition member 210, the first switch 231 and the 20 second switch 232 can fast easily coupled to correct assembly positions of the front portion of the freezing chamber 130 of the refrigerator main body 110. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a partition member of FIG. 8 before being coupled. As shown in FIG. 8, a 25 refrigerator according to the present invention may include a refrigerator main body 110 having a refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber 130, a partition member 150 coupled to a front portion of the freezing chamber 130 and 14 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 configured to partition a front opening of the freezing chamber 130 into a plurality of small openings, and an assembly guide 250 formed between the partition member 150 and the refrigerator main body 110 and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member 150. 5 The assembly guide 250 may include a first switch 251 and a second switch 252 coupled to the partition member 150 to protrude toward the refrigerator main body 110 and contacting freezing chamber doors 201 at both sides of the partition member 150, and a first switch receiving portion 261 and a second switch receiving portion 262 formed in the refrigerator main body 110 so as to receive at 10 least one regions of the first switch 251 and the second switch 252, respectively. The first switch 251 may be disposed at a right end portion of the partition member 150 to protrude upwardly. The second switch 252 may be disposed at a right end portion of the partition member 150 to protrude downwardly. Alternatively, the first and second switches 251 and 251 may be disposed at both sides of the 15 partition member 150 and configured to all protrude upwardly or downwardly. Also, the first switch 251 may upwardly protrude from a left end portion of the partition wall 150 and the second switch 252 may downwardly protrude from a right end portion of the partition member 150. Insertion portions 115 in which both end portions of the partition member 20 150 are inserted may be formed at both sides of the refrigerator main body 110, namely, the inner case 112b. A screw coupling portion 117 to which a screw 154 can be coupled may be formed in each insertion portion 115. Referring to FIG. 9, the first switch receiving portion 261 and the second switch receiving portion 262 may be recessed in both inner walls of the inner case 25 112b, namely, in right and left side surfaces of the freezing chamber 130 such that one regions of the first switch 251 and the second switch 252 can be received, respectively. The first switch receiving portion 261 may be recessed to guide an 15 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 upper surface, a lower surface and a right surface of the first switch 251, and the second switch receiving portion 262 may be recessed to guide an upper surface, a lower surface and a left surface of the second switch 252. The first and second switch receiving portions 261 and 262 may all be formed to be open towards a 5 central side of the freezing chamber 130. Alternatively, the first switch receiving portion 261 may be configured to guide only the upper surface and the right surface of the first switch 251 and the second switch receiving portion 262 may be configured to guide only the left surface and the lower surface of the second switch 252. 10 With such configuration, upon coupling the partition member 150 to the refrigerator main body 110, the first switch 251 and the second switch 252 are guide by the first switch receiving portion 261 and the second switch receiving portion 262, respectively. Accordingly, the partition member 150, the first switch 251 and the second switch 252 may fast easily be coupled to correct positions. 15 FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X I - X I of FIG. 10. As described above, a refrigerator according to the present invention may include a refrigerator main body 110 having a refrigerating chamber 120 and a freezing chamber 130, a partition 20 member 150 coupled to a front portion of the freezing chamber 130 and configured to partition a front opening of the freezing chamber 130 into a plurality of small openings, and an assembly guide 270 formed between the partition member 150 and the refrigerator main body 110 and configured to guide the coupling of the partition member 150. 25 As shown in FIG. 10, the partition member 150 may be disposed at the front portion of the freezing chamber 130 in a horizontal (right-and-left) direction. Through holes 152 through which screws 154 are inserted may be formed through 16 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 both ends of the partition member 150. Insertion portions 115 in which both end portions of the partition member 150 are inserted may be formed at the inner case 11 2b. A screw coupling portion 117 may be formed in each insertion portion 115. The assembly guide 270 may include a first switch 271 and a second 5 switch 272 both disposed at one end portion of the partition member 150, and a protrusion 291 protruded from another end portion of the partition member 150 towards the refrigerator main body 110, a first switch receiving portion 281 and a second switch receiving portion 282 formed in the refrigerator main body 110 for receiving and guiding the first and second switches 271 and 272, respectively, and 10 an accommodating portion 293 formed at the refrigerator main body 110 for accommodating and guiding the protrusion 291. The protrusion 291 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape and protrude downwardly. As shown in FIG. 11, the accommodating portion 293 may be formed at a left wall surface of the freezing chamber 130 of the refrigerator 15 main body 110, namely, the inner case 112b so as to guide an upper surface, a lower surface and a left surface of the protrusion 291. Alternatively, the accommodating portion 293 may be formed to guide only the left surface and the lower surface of the protrusion 291. Here, the positions of the switches 271 and 272 and the protrusion 291 may flexibly be rearranged. 20 With such configuration, upon coupling the partition member 150 to the refrigerator main body 110, the first switch 271 and the second switch 272 are inserted in the first switch receiving portion 281 and the second switch receiving portion 282, respectively, to be guide thereby. Accordingly, the partition member 150 can fast easily be coupled to a correct position. 25 In the aforementioned and illustrated embodiments, a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber formed at an upper region of a refrigerator main body and a freezing chamber at a lower region thereof has been exemplarily described; 17 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 however, the scope of the present invention can be applied to a refrigerator having refrigerating chamber and freezing chamber at upper and lower regions or in right and left sides of the refrigerator main body. Further, the assembly guide of the embodiment described in FIGS. 6 and 5 7 may be configured to include the protrusion and the accommodating portion having described in FIGS. 10 and 11. Further, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11 exemplarily illustrates that the partition member is disposed in a right-and-left direction of the refrigerator main body; however, the partition member may be disposed in an up-and-down 10 direction of the refrigerator main body. Also, in the aforementioned and illustrated embodiments, the switches and the protrusion are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and the switch receiving portions and the accommodating portion are recessed in the rectangular parallelepiped shape to correspond to the shape of the switches and the 15 protrusion; however, such switches and protrusion may be configured in other forms. As described above, the present invention has been explained with reference to the embodiments which are merely exemplary. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the 20 present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 18

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber; 5 a partition member coupled to a front portion of the cooling chamber and configured to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber into a plurality of small openings; and an assembly guide formed between the partition member and the refrigerator main body and configured to guide the coupling of the partition 10 member.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the assembly guide comprises: a first switch and a second switch both coupled to the partition member to protrude towards the refrigerator main body and contacting doors disposed at both 15 sides of the partition member; and a first switch receiving portion and a second switch receiving portion formed in the refrigerator main body and each configured to receive at least one region of the corresponding switch. 20

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the partition member is coupled to the refrigerator main body in a right-and-left direction.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the first switch and the second switch are all disposed at one end portion of the partition member. 25

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the assembly guide further comprises: 19 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787 a protrusion protruding from another end portion of the partition member towards the refrigerator main body; and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. 5

6. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the first switch and the second switch are disposed at both end portions of the partition member, respectively.

7. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the first switch receiving portion and 10 the second switch receiving portion are formed to be open towards a central portion of the cooling chamber.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the partition member is coupled to the refrigerator main body in an up-and-down direction. 15

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the first switch and the second switch are all disposed at one end portion of the partition member.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the assembly guide further 20 comprises: a protrusion protruding from another end portion of the partition member towards the refrigerator main body; and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to accommodate the protrusion. 25

11. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the first switch and the second switch are disposed at both end portions of the partition member, respectively. 20 WO 2009/116721 PCT/KR2008/007787

12. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the first switch receiving portion and the second switch receiving portion are formed to be open towards a central portion of the cooling chamber. 5

13. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the assembly guide comprises: a protrusion protruding from the partition member towards the refrigerator main body; and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to 10 accommodate the protrusion.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the protrusion is formed in plurality at both sides of the partition member.

15 15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein switches are disposed at the protrusions to be contactable with doors disposed at both sides of the partition member.

16. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the protrusion is formed at one 20 side of the partition member, and a switch contactable with a door disposed at one side of the partition member is coupled to another side of the partition member to protrude towards the refrigerator main body.

17. A refrigerator comprising: 25 a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber; a partition member coupled to a front portion of the cooling chamber and configured to partition a front opening of the cooling chamber into a plurality of 21 22 small openings; switches coupled to at least one end portion of the partition member; and switch receiving portions formed in the refrigerator main body and each configured to receive at least one region of the corresponding switch so as to 5 guide the partition member upon coupling the partition member.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising: a protrusion protruding from at least one end portion of the partition member; and an accommodating portion formed in the refrigerator main body to 10 accommodate the protrusion.

19. A refrigerator substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 2 to 11 of the accompanying drawings. LG ELECTRONICS INC WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS P33684AU00