Refrigerator and folding guide device provided therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539359-B2
Application number	US-201715615950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2017
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are a refrigerator and a folding guide device provided therein. The refrigerator includes a body including a storage compartment, a door that opens and closes the storage compartment, a support provided to be changeable in position to an unfolded position to be unfolded outward from the storage compartment and a folded position to be folded in the storage compartment, a folding guide device interlinked with an opening and closing operation of the door to apply a rotational force for changing the position of the support to the support. Here, the folding guide device includes a slider pressurized by the door and linearly moved, and a conversion outputter provided to connect the slider with the support and configured to convert a linear force input by the slider that linearly moves into a rotational force for changing the position of the support and output the rotational force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a body that defines a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
a support that is rotatably coupled to the body or to the door, that is configured to rotate to an unfolded position in which the support protrudes outward from the storage compartment, and that is configured to rotate to a folded position in which at least a portion of the support remains within the storage compartment; and
a folding guide device that is configured to provide a rotational force to the support based on opening and closing of the door,
wherein the folding guide device comprises:
a slider that is configured to linearly move toward the storage compartment based on the door pressing the slider, and
a conversion outputter that connects the slider to the support, the conversion outputter being configured to convert linear movement of the slider to rotational force for rotating the support to the folded position, and

wherein the support is configured to, based on being in the folded position, be disposed at a position that is titled outward from the storage compartment, and receive force for rotating in a direction to the unfolded position.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a position maintainer that is configured to limit rotation of the support based on the support being in one of the unfolded position and the folded position.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the position maintainer includes an elastic pressurizer that is configured to provide an elastic force to the support, the support being configured to rotate to a tilted position outward from the storage compartment relative to the folded position.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the position maintainer further includes:
a lateral supporting wall that extends in a lateral direction across the storage compartment, the lateral supporting wall being configured to support a bottom surface of the support based on the support being oriented in the unfolded position; and
a longitudinal supporting wall that extends downward from the lateral supporting wall, the longitudinal supporting wall being configured to support the bottom surface of the support based on the support being oriented in the folded position,
wherein the elastic pressurizer is provided on the longitudinal supporting wall, the elastic pressurizer being configured to be pressed by the bottom surface of the support based on the support being oriented in the folded position.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the position maintainer further includes a supporting rib that is located rearward of the longitudinal supporting wall, that extends in the lateral direction, and that is configured to support a top surface of the support to limit rotation of the support based on the support being oriented in the unfolded position.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a pressurizing protrusion that is located at the door and that is configured to press the slider.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the pressurizing protrusion comprises:
a protrusion body protruding from a rear surface of the door; and
a contactor provided on an outer surface of the protrusion body and configured to contact the slider.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the protrusion body is made of a metal to provide a high rigidity to the pressurizing protrusion, and
wherein the contactor is made of a polymer having a low coefficient of friction between the slider and the contactor.

9. A folding guide device comprising:
a slider that is configured to linearly move toward a storage compartment based on being pressed by a door, the door being configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage compartment; and
a conversion outputter that connects the slider to a support, the support being rotatably provided in the storage compartment,
wherein the conversion outputter is configured to convert a linear movement of the slider to rotation of the support and to convert rotation of the support to a linear movement of the slider,
wherein the slider is configured to linearly move, toward the door, to a protruding position based on the door being opened,
wherein the slider is configured to linearly move, toward the storage compartment, to a depressed position based on the door being closed,
wherein the conversion outputter is configured to provide a rotational force to the support in a first direction that causes the support to rotate, toward the storage compartment, to a folded position based on the slider moving toward the depressed position,
wherein the conversion outputter is configured to provide a linear force to the slider to return to the protruding position toward the door based on the support rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction to an unfolded position,
wherein the folding guide device further comprises a damper that is configured to provide a damping force to reduce the rotational force provided to the support, and
wherein the folding guide device further comprises elastic supporters that are configured to provide an elastic force for restricting a linear movement of the slider toward the protruding position.

10. The folding guide device of claim 9 , wherein the elastic supporters are configured to provide the elastic force to the slider after the slider has moved by a predetermined distance from the depressed position toward the protruding position.

11. The folding guide device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a case that accommodates the conversion outputter and the elastic supporters, the slider being movably accommodated in the case;
guide pins located within the case and slidably coupled to the slider, the guide pins being configured to guide a movement of the slider between the protruding position and the depressed position; and
a combiner connected to the slider and configured to receive the guide pins.

12. The folding guide device of claim 11 , wherein the elastic supporters are configured to provide the elastic force to the combiner that is connected to the slider.

13. The folding guide device of claim 12 , wherein each of the elastic supporters comprises a coil spring that surrounds at least a portion of one of the guide pins, and
wherein the coil spring is configured to be compressed by the combiner based on the slider moving toward the protruding position.

14. The folding guide device of claim 13 , wherein the coil spring is positioned between the combiner and a wall surface of the case, the slider being positioned vertically below the wall surface of the case.

15. The folding guide device of claim 13 , wherein each of the guide pins comprises:
a spring mounting pin, the coil spring surrounding at least a portion of the spring mounting pin; and
a sliding pin that is slidably coupled to the combiner.

16. The folding guide device of claim 15 , wherein the guide pins further comprise a pair of spring mounting pins spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and
wherein the sliding pin is disposed between the pair of spring mounting pins.

17. The folding guide device of claim 16 , wherein the combiner defines first through holes configured to receive the spring mounting pins and a second through hole configured to receive the sliding pin, and
wherein an inner circumferential surface of the second through hole contacts an outer surface of the sliding pin.

18. The folding guide device of claim 17 , wherein each of the first through holes inclu

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kwon O Min
• Lim Ki Young

Classifications

• F25D23/025 Primary

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• F25D25/027

  Rotatable shelves · CPC title

• F25D2323/023

  Door in door constructions · CPC title

• F25D25/02

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D23/04

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