Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317128-B2
Application number	US-201815861223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2018
Priority date	Jan 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment; a first door rotatably provided to open and close the storage compartment; a hinge member coupled to a lower portion of the first door and configured to support the first door to allow the first door to be rotatable; a second door provided below the hinge member, wherein the second door includes a door body and a door trim protruding from the door body toward the hinge member, the hinge member includes a main body coupler and a door supporter, and a bottom surface of the door supporter includes a base surface and a recessed surface. The recessed surface is recessed from the base surface to compensate for a height difference between an upper surface of the door trim and an upper surface of the door body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having a storage compartment;
a first door rotatably provided to open and close the storage compartment;
a hinge member coupled to a lower portion of the first door and configured to support the first door; and
a second door provided below the hinge member,
wherein the second door includes a door body and a door trim protruding from an upper surface of the door body toward the hinge member,
the hinge member includes a main body coupler provided to be coupled to the main body and a door supporter extending from the main body coupler in a front-rear direction, and
a bottom surface of the door supporter includes a base surface corresponding to the door body and a recessed surface recessed from the base surface and corresponding to the door trim to compensate for a height difference between an upper surface of the door trim and the upper surface of the door body to keep a constant gap between the recessed surface and the upper surface of the door trim and between the base surface and the upper surface of the door body.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the door supporter includes a connecting surface configured to connect the base surface to the recessed surface and formed in a vertical direction.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the connecting surface extends in a front-rear direction of the refrigerator.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a height difference between the base surface and the recessed surface is equal to the height difference between the upper surface of the door trim and the upper surface of the door body.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a height difference between the base surface and the recessed surface is less than half a thickness of the door supporter.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the recessed surface is disposed further than the base surface at a side opposite to a central portion of the refrigerator.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein each of the base surface and the recessed surface is formed to be flat.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein each of the base surface and the recessed surface is formed to be parallel to an upper surface of the door supporter.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the main body coupler and the door supporter are integrally formed of metal materials.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the door body includes an upper cap having a handle recess, and
the door trim is coupled to an upper portion of the upper cap.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein:
the door trim includes a gripper configured to allow a user to hold and open the second door, and
the gripper is inserted into the handle recess.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door trim extends from a left end to a right end of the second door.

13. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the door body includes an upper plate having a display installation recess therein at which a display is installed, and
the door trim is coupled to an upper portion of the upper plate.

14. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having a storage compartment;
a door rotatably provided to open and close the storage compartment; and
a hinge assembly coupled to a lower portion of the door and configured to support the door to allow the door to be rotatable, the hinge assembly including an elastic member provided to apply a force to the door in a direction in which the door is closed,
wherein the door includes a lower cap,
the lower cap includes a bottom portion configured to form a bottom surface of the door, and a hinge installation portion provided to allow the hinge assembly to be coupled, and
the hinge installation portion is formed to be recessed from the bottom portion so as to prevent exposure of at least a portion of the hinge assembly and the hinge installation portion includes an elastic member installation portion formed to be recessed from the base stepped portion to allow the elastic member to be installed.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein:
the hinge assembly includes a hinge member having a hinge pin configured to form a rotational axis of the door and coupled to the main body, and a hinge bracket having a through-hole through which the hinge pin passes and coupled to a lower portion of the door, and
the hinge installation portion includes a base stepped portion, and a hinge bracket installation portion formed to be recessed from the base stepped portion to allow the hinge bracket to be installed.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein:
each of the hinge member and the hinge bracket is formed of a metal material, and
the hinge assembly includes a grommet member made of a resin material and provided between the hinge member and the hinge bracket to prevent rubbing therebetween.

17. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the hinge assembly is not exposed when the refrigerator is viewed from the front thereof.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom portion is disposed at a front side of the hinge installation portion.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Son Su Hyeong
• Gu Yang-Yeol
• Lee Hyung Bum

Classifications

• F25D2400/36

  Visual displays · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• E05Y2900/31

  for refrigerators · CPC title

• E05D7/081

  the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title