Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10465977-B2
Application number	US-201715665939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2017
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator capable of supplying water without opening a door and deteriorating the aesthetic quality of the refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body in which a food storage space is formed, a door to open or close one side of the main body and a water dispensing member having an outlet. The water dispensing member is provided so as to be movable in the forward and backward directions and located at a first position at which the water dispensing member is accommodated in the door or at a second position at which the water dispensing member protrudes forward from the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body in which a storage space is formed;
a door to open or close a front side of the main body;
a water dispensing member provided on the door and having an outlet; and
a sensor provided below the water dispensing member and configured to sense a user input,
wherein the water dispensing member is provided so as to be movable forward or backward and is located at a first position accommodated in the door or at a second position protruded forward from the door,
when the sensor senses the user input, the water dispensing member moves from the first position to the second position, discharges water by a predetermined amount through the outlet at the second position, and then moves to the first position.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein when the water dispensing member is located at the first position, a front surface of the water dispensing member is positioned on the same plane as a front surface of the door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned on the same plane as a front surface of the water dispensing member when the water dispensing member is located in the first position.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor has the same width as the water dispensing member.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the user input is done by contacting the sensor.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the user input is done by pressing the sensor.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the user input is done by positioning an object within a predetermined distance in front of the sensor.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a holder member is provided below the water dispensing member to mount a container thereon, and
the holder member is provided to be located at a third position at which the holder member is accommodated in the door or in a fourth position at which the holder member protrudes forward from the door.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein a front surface of the holder member is positioned on the same plane as a front surface of the door when the holder member is in the third position.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8 ; wherein the holder member includes a base on which the container is placed, and when the holder member is at the third position, the base is positioned such that one side of the holder member on which the container is placed faces either a left side or a right side of the main body.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the holder member is configured to rotate in one direction or another direction at the fourth position.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein when the holder member rotates in one direction at the fourth position, the base is positioned such that the one side on which the container is placed faces upward.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the base is provided with a movement preventing member provided to surround at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the container which is mounted on the base so as to prevent a movement of the container.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the movement preventing member is movable in a radial direction so as to correspond to an outer shape of the container.

15. A refrigerator having a water dispensing unit provided to supply water, the water dispensing unit comprising:
a water dispensing member provided with an outlet and configured to be linearly movable forward or backward;
a holder member positioned below the water dispensing member to position a container thereon and configured to be linearly movable forward or backward of the refrigerator; and
a sensor provided below the water dispensing member and configured to sense a user input,
wherein one of the water dispensing member and the holder member is located at a first position at which a front surface of the one of the water dispensing member and the holder member is accommodated in one side of the refrigerator and at a second position at which the front surface of the one of the water dispensing member and the holder member protrudes from one surface of the refrigerator,
when the sensor senses the user input, the water dispensing member moves from the first position to the second position, discharges water by a predetermined amount through the outlet at the second position, and then moves to the first position.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the holder member is positioned such that one side of the holder member on which the container is placed faces either a left side or a right side of the refrigerator at the first position and faces upward at the second position.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the water dispensing member or the holder member moves along a rack gear extending forward and backward.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the water dispensing member and the holder member are independently movable forward or backward.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Young Seok
• Lee Ji Hyeoung

Classifications

• B67D1/0014

  the beverage being supplied from water mains · CPC title

• B67D2210/00036

  for use with or in refrigerators · CPC title

• B67D1/0858

  using compression systems · CPC title

• B67D1/1234

  to determine the total amount · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title