Refrigerator and hinge device for door of refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415284-B2
Application number	US-201815920225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a hinge for a door of the refrigerator. In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, there may be provided a refrigerator, including a main body having a storage space capable of storing food, a door configured to selectively open and close or shield the storage space of the main body, and a hinge rotatably fixing the door to the main body, wherein the hinge includes a lower hinge plate fixed to the main body, an upper hinge plate connected to the lower hinge plate, coupled to the door and including a pivot configured to enable the door to rotate, and a connection part connecting the upper hinge plate and the lower hinge plate and enabling the upper hinge to rotate with respect to the lower hinge plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body having a storage space capable of storing food;
a door selectively opening and shielding or closing the storage space of the main body; and
a hinge rotatably fixing the door to the main body,
wherein the hinge comprises:
a lower hinge plate fixed to the main body,
a rotatable hitch member through the lower hinge plate; and
an upper hinge plate having an end and/or side rotatably coupled to the lower hinge plate and a pivot for the door, wherein the upper hinge plate overlaps the lower hinge plate and is coupled to the lower hinge plate by the hitch member in a first state and is isolated or separated from the lower hinge plate in a second state, and the upper hinge plate comprises a hitch hole through which the hitch member can penetrate and an elastic member configured to maintain the first state, wherein, in the first state, the hitch member is movable within the hitch hole, and the elastic member applies a force to the hitch member.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the door comprises a pivot insertion unit having a size corresponding to a size of the pivot,
the pivot is configured to fit into the pivot insertion unit,
the upper hinge plate is coupled to the door, and
the door moves rotatably around the pivot.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the pivot is elastically deformable and is elastically deformed when the pivot is in the pivot insertion unit.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the pivot has a cylindrical or pipe form with an opening or cut-off region along a length thereof.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
one side or end of the elastic member is fixed to a top or uppermost surface of the upper hinge plate, and
another side or end of the elastic member has a specific curvature, penetrates the hitch hole, and applies the force to the hitch member when the hitch member passes through the hitch hole so that the hitch member engages the upper hinge plate in the first state.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the hitch member is rotatably fixed to a hitch member fixing part extending downward from the lower hinge plate, and
the main body includes a groove or depression configured to receive the hitch member fixing part.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the lower hinge plate is coupled to the main body with one or more bolts, and
the upper hinge plate comprises one or more fastening member through-holes configured to expose the one or more bolts in the first state.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the pivot has a cylindrical or pipe form with an opening or cut-off region along a length thereof to enable elastic deformation, and
the pivot is elastically deformed when the pivot is in or inserted into a pivot insertion unit in the door.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the hitch member comprises a hook configured to hook the upper hinge plate with or to the lower hinge plate.

10. A hinge for a door of a refrigerator, comprising:
a lower hinge plate that can be fastened to a main body of the refrigerator and comprising an upward extending hitch member; and
an upper hinge plate rotatably coupled to an end and/or side of the lower hinge plate, comprising a hitch hole through which the hitch member couples the lower hinge plate to the upper hinge plate, the hitch member is movable within the hitch hole, a pivot configured to be inserted into the door and enabling the door to rotate, and an elastic member configured to maintain the hitch member in an engaged state, the upper hinge plate being closely attached to the lower hinge plate when the hitch member couples the lower hinge plate to the upper hinge plate, and the hitch member and the elastic member may be configured to enable the hitch member to disengage from the hitch hole and/or the upper hinge plate.

11. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein:
the hitch member is rotatably fixed to a hitch member fixing part extending downward from the lower hinge plate, and
a rotation axis of the hitch member is below the lower hinge plate.

12. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein:
one side or end of the elastic member is fixed to a top of the upper hinge plate,
another side or end of the elastic member has a specific curvature, penetrates the hitch hole, and applies a force to the hitch member when the hitch member passes through the hitch hole so that the hitch member engages the upper hinge plate.

13. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein the upper hinge plate is rotatably connected to an end or side of the lower hinge plate farthest from the pivot.

14. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein the hitch member and the elastic member enable the hitch member to disengage from the hitch hole and/or the upper hinge plate when the upper hinge plate rotates away from the lower hinge plate.

15. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein the pivot is cylindrical, and has an opening or a cut-off region along the length thereof.

16. A hinge for a door of a refrigerator, comprising:
a lower hinge plate that can be fastened to a main body of the refrigerator and comprising an upward extending hitch member; and
an upper hinge plate rotatably coupled to an end and/or side of the lower hinge plate, comprising a hitch hole through which the hitch member couples the lower hinge plate to the upper hinge plate, an elastic member having one side or end fixed to a top of the upper hinge plate, and a pivot configured to be inserted into the door and enabling the door to rotate, the upper hinge plate being closely attached to the lower hinge plate when the hitch member couples the lower hinge plate to the upper hinge plate,
wherein the elastic member has another side or end that has a specific curvature, penetrates the hitch hole, and applies a force to the hitch member when the hitch member passes through the hitch hole so that the hitch member engages the upper hinge plate.

17. The hinge of claim 16 , wherein the hitch member comprises a hook configured to hook the upper hinge plate with or to the lower hinge plate.

18. The hinge of claim 16 , wherein the hitch member and the elastic member enable the hitch member to disengage from the hitch hole and/or the upper hinge plate when the upper hinge plate rotates away from the lower hinge plate.

19. The hinge of claim 16 , wherein the pivot is cylindrical and has an opening or cut-off region along a length thereof.

Assignees

• Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Kim Tae Jin

Classifications

• E05D7/1022

  with snap-fitted pins · CPC title

• E05D7/10

  to allow easy separation {or connection} of the parts at the hinge axis ({E05D5/12 and E05D15/50 take precedence } ; substitutes for hinges E05D1/06) · CPC title

• E05D5/12

  Securing pins in sockets, movably or not · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• E05D5/04

  Flat flaps · CPC title