Description:The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

Field of the invention
[0001] This disclosure relates to a hybrid rear support frame in a household appliance.

Background of the invention
[0002] In the conventional appliances like whirlpool, LG, Haier , the side parts are made up of single metal and clinched or spot weld with cabinet bottom. The conventional appliance assembly process comprising multiple constrains and production rejection rate is high. The foam bulging issue is high on the side part outer surface. In addition to this, they require special process like spot welding or TOXING process for joining metal RSF with cabinet bottom.

[0003] A US patent application 20160305704 discloses domestic refrigeration appliance with a specific machinery-chamber boundary wall. a domestic refrigeration appliance having a housing , in which is arranged an inner container which bounds an interior for accommodating foods, and having a machinery chamber, which is separated from the interior and in which components of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance are arranged, wherein the machinery chamber has a boundary wall , on which is arranged a cable-bushing box for leading at least one cable through into the machinery chamber from outside the machinery chamber , and the box has an accommodating receptacle and a cover for closing the accommodating receptacle , and the cover is connected in one piece to the accommodating receptacle.

Brief description of the invention:
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a hybrid rear support frame in a household appliance.

[0005] The objects are solved by a hybrid rear support frame in a household appliance having the features according to claims 1 and 10.

[0006] The invention relates to a hybrid rear support frame (RSF) in a household appliance. The household appliance comprises a U-shaped cabinet, a skin condenser positioned in the cabinet, suction tubes, a compressor plate. The hybrid rear support frame comprises a first portion and a second portion, secured with each other through at least one rivet. The first portion is made denser in dimensions than the second portion.

[0007] A feature of this invention is that, the first portion is made of a metal and the second portion is made of a plastic material.

[0008] Another feature of this invention is that, the first portion comprises a reinforcement module and a metal section , such that , the reinforcement module and the metal section are joined using a welding technique to form a sub-assembly of the RSF.

[0009] Another feature of this invention is that, the first portion is assembled to a bottom portion of the U-shaped cabinet, the compressor plate, the skin condenser and the second portion accommodates the suction tubes of the appliance.

[0010] Another feature of this invention is that, the reinforcement module provides additional support to the RSF to be in an intact position when the RSF is assembled to the U-shaped cabinet .

[0011] Another feature of this invention is that , the reinforcement module is made as an integral part of the first portion and is positioned in contact to the compressor plate.

[0012] Another feature of this invention is that, the first portion and the second portion of the RSF is fixed on the U-shaped cabinet using a fitting technique, one such fitting technique is a screw fit technique.

[0013] Another feature of this invention is that, the RSF and the U-shaped cabinet are assembled together by using multiple screws fitted on the reinforcement module of the RSF.

[0014] Another feature of this invention is that, the first portion and the second portion of the RSF comprises multiple cut-sections corresponding to shape and size of multiple components of the appliance .

[0015] With the above disclosed hybrid rear support frame (RSF) provides a cost optimization and also provides an improvement in the assembly process of the rear support frame in the appliance. The disclosed RSF provides more stability to the components of the appliance as one portion of the support frame is made of metal. As there are no extra components required , the above mentioned support frame is an effective low cost solution compared to the conventional support frames (which are mostly made of complete plastic kind of material). The above design is used as a retrofit solution as the new design doesnt disturb the exisiting assembling process. A predective assembly rejection rate is reduced with the above disclosed design of the hybrid rear support frame.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
[0016] Figure 1 illustrates a hybrid rear frame in a household appliance in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; and
[0017] Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the hybrid rear frame in the household appliance , in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0018] Figure 1 illustrates a hybrid rear frame in a household appliance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The household appliance 10 comprises a U-shaped cabinet 14, a skin condenser 15 positioned in the cabinet 14, suction tubes, a compressor plate. The hybrid rear support frame 10 comprises a first portion 10(a) and a second portion 10(b), secured with each other through at least one rivet 20. The first portion 10(a) is made denser in dimensions than the second portion 10(b).

[0019] Further the construction of the hybrid rear supprot frame 10 is explained in detail. According to one emboidment of the invention, the first portion 10(a) is made of a metal and the second portion 10(b) is made of a plastic material. The first portion 10(a) is comprises a reinforcement module 22 and a metal part 24 , such that , the reinforcement module 22 and the metal part 24 are joined using a welding technique to form a sub-assembly of the RSF 10. The metal part 24 of the first portion 10(a) is joined with the reinforcement module 22 using any of the welding techniques that is known in the state of the art,one such technique is a spot welding technique. However, it is to be noted that, one can use any other techniques that are known to a person skilled in the art. The metal part 24 provides more stablity during an operational state of the appliance 10 by reducing the wobbling effect.

[0020] The first portion 10(a) is assembled to a bottom portion 26 of the U-shaped cabinet 14, the compressor plate 18, the skin condenser 15 and the second portion 10(b) accommodates the suction tubes 16 of the appliance 10. The first portion 10(a) and the second portion 10(b) of the RSF 10 comprises multiple cut-sections 30 corresponding to shape and size of multiple components of the appliance 12. The second portion 10(b) comprises mulitple cut-sections 30 corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the suction tubes 16 of the appliances 10. Similar to that, first portion 10(a) comprises multiple cut-sections 30 corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the U-shaped cabinet 14, the compressor plate 18 and the like.

[0021] The reinforcement module 22 provides additional support to the RSF 10 to be in an intact position when the RSF 10 is assembled to the U-shaped cabinet 14.The reinforcement module 22 is made as an integral part of the first portion (10(a)) and is positioned in contact to the compressor plate 18. The first portion (10(a)) and the second portion 10(b)) of the RSF 10 is fixed on the U-shaped cabinet 14 using a fitting technique, one such fitting technique is a screw fit technique. The RSF 10 and said U-shaped cabinet 14 are assembled together by using multiple screws 28 fitted along with the reinforcement module 22 of the RSF 10.

[0022] The method of assembling the above disclosed hybrid rear support frame (RSF) 10 is explained in detail. The rear support frame 10 acts as a backbone of the appliance 12 by withholding the compressor and traverse assembly (comprising the compressor plate 18), the bottom portion 26 of the U-shaped cabinet 14, the suction tubes 16 and the skin condenser 15 of the appliance 12. According to one embodiment of the invention, the appliance 12 is a refrigerator, wherein the type of appliance is chosen from a group of refrigerators comprising a single door refrigerator, a multi-door refrigerator.

[0023] In the conventional appliances, the rear support frame 10 is made of polypropylene co-polymer (PCP) which doesn’t meet the IEC requirement. In order to overcome this , the present disclosure provides a hybrid rear support frame 10 that is made of metal and the plastic, such that, the metal part 24 of the first portion 10(a) is made of a fire-retardant material. The hybrid rear support frame 10 is divided into two portions (10(a) & 10(b)), the first portion (10(a)) and the second portion (10(b)) and comprises four parts (10(a),22,24,10(b)). The first portion 10(a) having the metal part 24 and the reinforcement module 22 and the second portion 10(b) having the suction tubes 16 and the rivets 20.

[0024] The reinforcement module 22 is joined with the metal part 24 of the first portion(10(a)) using any one of the welding techniques (such as spot welding) or clinching process. These two parts (22 & 24) together forms the sub-assembly of the RSF 10. Then the sub-assembly of the RSF 10 is joined with the second portion 10(b) having the suction tubes 16 with the help of multiple rivets 20, thus forming the whole assembly of the rear support frame 10. Once the rear support frame 10 is ready , the same is assembled with the U-shell cabinet 14 , skin condenser 15, suction tubes 16. After these are assembled, the entire arrangement is assembled at the bottom portion 26 of the cabinet 14 and back panel as a preformed cabinet assembly. This preformed cabinet 14 will be foamed in the later stages of the assembling process.

[0025] With the above disclosed hybrid rear support frame (RSF) 10 provides a cost optimization and also provides an improvement in the assembly process of the rear support frame 10 in the appliance 12. The disclosed RSF 10 provides more stability to the components of the appliance 12 as one portion 24 of the support frame is made of metal. As there are no extra components required , the above mentioned support frame 10 is an effective low cost solution compared to the conventional support frames (which are mostly made of complete plastic kind of material). The above design is used as a retrofit solution as the new design doesnt disturb the exisiting assembling process. A predective assembly rejection rate is reduced with the above disclosed design of the hybrid rear support frame 10. The above disclosed design of the rear support frame 10 helps in reducing the foam bulging issue.

[0026] Embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.

List of Reference Signs
10 hybrid rear support frame
12 appliance
14 U-shaped cabinet
15 skin condenser
16 suction tubes
18 compressor plate
20 multiple rivets
22 reinforcement module
24 metal part
26 bottom portion of the cabinet
28 multiple screws
30 multiple cut-sections

, Claims:We Claim:
1. A hybrid rear support frame (RSF) (10) in a household appliance (12), said household appliance (12) comprises a U-shaped cabinet (14), a skin condenser (15) positioned in said cabinet (14), suction tubes (16), a compressor plate (18);
characterized in that:
said hybrid rear support frame (10) comprises a first portion (10(a)) and a second portion (10(b)), secured with each other through at least one rivet (20), said first portion (10(a)) is made denser in dimensions than said second portion (10(b)).

2. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion(10(a)) is made of a metal and said second portion (10(b)) is made of a plastic material.

3. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion (10(a)) is comprises a reinforcement module (22) and a metal part (24) , such that , said reinforcement module (22) and said metal part (24) are joined using a welding technique to form a sub-assembly of said RSF (10).

4. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion (10(a)) is assembled to a bottom portion (26) of said U-shaped cabinet (14) and said compressor plate (18) and said skin condenser (16) and said second portion (10(b)) accommodates said suction tubes (16) of said appliance (12).

5. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement module (22) provides additional support to said RSF (10) to be in an intact position when said RSF (10) is assembled to said U-shaped cabinet (14) .

6. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement module (22) is made as an integral part of said first portion (10(a)) and is positioned in contact to said compressor plate (18).

7. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion(10(a)) and said second portion (10(b)) of said RSF (10) is fixed on said U-shaped cabinet (14) using a fitting technique, one such fitting technique is a screw fit technique.

8. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said RSF (10) and said U-shaped cabinet (14) are assembled together by using multiple screws fitted, along with said reinforcement module (22) of said RSF (10).

9. The hybrid rear support frame (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion(10(a)) and said second portion(10(b)) of said RSF (10) comprises multiple cut-sections (28) corresponding to shape and size of multiple components of said appliance (12) .