Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113789-B2
Application number	US-201515516925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Oct 17, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator includes: a cabinet forming a storage space; a first door rotatably coupled to a front surface of the cabinet to open or close the storage space, and having an open portion formed therein; a second door rotatably connected to the first door at a front surface of the first door; a shelf rotatably mounted in the open portion; and a connection module provided in the first door and connected to a rotary shaft of the shelf to enable the shelf to be unfolded forward when the second door is opened and to stand to be folded when the second door is closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet configured to form a storage space;
a first door rotatably coupled to a front surface of the cabinet to open or close the storage space, and having an open portion formed therein;
a second door rotatably connected to the first door at a front surface of the first door;
a shelf rotatably mounted in the open portion; and
a connection module provided in the first door and connected to a rotary shaft of the shelf to enable the shelf to be unfolded forward when the second door is opened and to stand to be folded when the second door is closed,
wherein the connection module comprises:
a connection part connected to the rotary shaft of the shelf to integrally rotate with the rotary shaft of the shelf; and
a moving part connected to the connection part and configured to move forward and backward when the connection part rotates.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the connection part comprises:
an extending end configured to extend from the rotary shaft of the shelf in a direction crossing the rotary shaft of the shelf; and
a bent end bent at an end portion of the extending end and connected to the moving part,
wherein a slot into which the bent end is inserted is formed to extend in a length in the moving part.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising a pressing protrusion configured to protrude from a rear surface of the second door corresponding to a position where the moving part is formed,
and wherein a front surface of the moving part selectively comes in contact with the pressing protrusion.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein a pressing surface with which the front surface of the moving part comes in contact is formed at the pressing protrusion,
and wherein the pressing surface is formed in a gently rounded shape.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein a rotation section which rotates to open or close the second door comprises:
a first rotation section in which the moving part maintains a state of coming in close contact with the pressing protrusion; and
a second rotation section in which the moving part is separated from the pressing protrusion.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member disposed behind the moving part to exert a force which pushes the moving part forward.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a guide hole configured to accommodate the moving part is formed at the first door,
and wherein the connection module further comprises a limiting member formed at the moving part and the guide hole to limit a forward moving distance of the moving part.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the limiting member comprises:
a contact member configured to protrude from an inner circumferential surface of a front end portion of the guide hole; and
a stopper configured to protrude from an outer circumferential surface of the moving part to be caught to the contact member.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , further comprising a damper provided at one of the contact member and the stopper to mitigate an impact generated when the stopper comes in contact with the contact member.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the shelf defines an angle forward from a vertical plane passing along the rotary shaft of the shelf, and
wherein a center of mass of the shelf is disposed in front of the vertical plane based on the shelf being folded.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yu Seonil
• Kwon Hongsik

Classifications

• F25D25/027 Primary

  Rotatable shelves · CPC title

• F25D23/04

  with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners · CPC title

• F25D2323/023

  Door in door constructions · CPC title

• F25D23/025 Primary

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• F25D25/02 Primary

  by shelves · CPC title