Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10281193-B2
Application number	US-201816122099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 14, 2013
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet (10) configured to define a first storage region in which food is stored, a door (20) rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft via a first hinge member (40) to open or close the first storage region, the first rotating shaft being located at the front of the cabinet (10), a gasket provided at the door (20) and a container (100) configured to define a second storage region, the second storage region being received in the first storage region, the container (100) being rotatably connected to a second rotating shaft via a second hinge member (200), the second rotating shaft being located at the door (20).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
a storage compartment provided in the cabinet and configured to store food therein;
a container provided to be rotatable relative to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage compartment to selectively provide access to items in the storage compartment, the container comprising an opening formed in a center thereof;
a door rotatably provided on the container and configured to be rotatable relative to the container and to the cabinet, and to open and close the opening in the container; and
a fastening device provided on the door and configured to selectively couple and release the door to and from the container,
wherein the container comprises a frame cover and a frame provided inside the frame cover,
wherein the frame cover comprises a first frame cover and a second frame cover that form a space therebetween by the second frame cover covering an opening of the first frame cover,
wherein, in a state in which the door and the container close the storage compartment, at least a portion of the first frame cover of the container is located inside an interior of the cabinet, and the second frame cover of the container is coupled to the door, and
wherein the frame is disposed in the space between the first frame cover and the second frame cover in a state in which the second frame cover is covering the opening of the first frame cover.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first frame cover of the container comprises two side surfaces,
wherein, in the state in which the door and the container close the storage compartment, a distance between the two side surfaces of the first frame cover decreases with decreasing distance towards the interior of the cabinet.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the frame of the container comprises a front portion and a second side-surface portion configured to extend from one end of the front portion,
wherein the second frame cover comprises a front cover portion and a second side-surface cover portion configured to extend from the front cover portion, and
wherein the front cover portion of the second frame cover is arranged to face the front portion of the frame, and the second side-surface cover portion of the second frame cover is arranged to face the second side-surface portion of the frame.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the frame of the container comprises a first side-surface portion configured to extend from a remaining end of the front cover portion,
wherein the second frame cover comprises a front cover portion and a first side-surface cover portion and a second side-surface cover portion that are configured to extend from the front cover portion, and
wherein the first side-surface cover portion of the second frame cover is arranged to face the first side-surface portion of the frame.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the frame of the container comprises horizontal portions respectively forming an upper side and a lower side of the frame, and vertical portions provided perpendicular to the horizontal portions and that form a left side and a right side of the frame,
wherein the first frame cover is provided with at least one boss that is coupled to at least one of the horizontal portions of the frame.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one boss comprises a plurality of bosses disposed along a horizontal direction of the first frame cover of the container.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of bosses are provided on an upper portion and a lower portion of the first frame cover of the container,
wherein a first horizontal portion disposed at an upper side of the frame, among the horizontal portions, is coupled to a first boss provided on the upper portion of the first frame cover, and
wherein a second horizontal portion disposed at a lower side of the frame, among the horizontal portions, is coupled to a second boss provided on the lower portion of the first frame cover.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one boss is configured to protrude from an inner space of the first frame cover to an open side of the first frame cover of the container, and
wherein the at least one boss protrudes perpendicular to one side surface of the first frame cover.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second frame cover of the container has a horizontal width that is greater than a horizontal width of the first frame cover of the container.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second frame cover of the container is coupled to at least one boss formed on the first frame cover of the container.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the frame of the container is fixedly in contact with a side surface of the first frame cover.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first frame cover of the container comprises two side surfaces and a rear surface configured to connect the two side surfaces to each other, and
wherein the rear surface is located inside the cabinet in a state in which the door and the container close the storage compartment.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second frame cover of the container comprises a side surface configured to extend from an end of a front surface of the second frame cover so as to be connected to one end of the first frame cover.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises:
horizontal portions respectively forming an upper side and a lower side of the frame;
vertical portions provided perpendicular to the horizontal portions and respectively forming a left side and a right side of the frame; and
an integrated horizontal and vertical portion that corresponds to a vertex of the frame and that is configured to couple one of the horizontal portions with one of the vertical portions.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises an auxiliary frame disposed between the first frame cover and the second frame cover of the frame of the container.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary frame of the container has an “L”-shaped cross-sectional shape.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary frame of the container comprises a first extension portion configured to extend along a width direction of the container and a second extension portion configured to extend along a depth direction of the container,
wherein the width direction of the container corresponds to a width between a lateral sides of the container, and
wherein the depth direction of the container corresponds to a depth between a front and a rear of the container.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the frame of the container comprises horizontal portions respectively forming an upper side and a lower side of the frame and vertical portions provided perpendicular to the horizontal portions and respectively forming a left side and a right side of the frame, and
wherein the first extension portion of the auxiliary frame is coupled to a first surface of one of the vertical portions of the frame, and the second extension portion of the auxiliary frame is coupled to a second surface of the one of the vertical portions of the frame in a state in which an integrated horizontal and vertical portion couples one of the horizontal portions with the one of the vertical portions

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Sungwoo
• Kim Myunghwan
• Park Jisu
• Kim Hyunbum
• Kim Jindong
• Im Jihyun

Classifications

• B22D17/00

  Pressure die casting or injection die casting, i.e. casting in which the metal is forced into a mould under high pressure · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D23/025 Primary

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• B21K13/02

  hinges · CPC title

• F25D2400/38

  Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels · CPC title