Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10648727-B2
Application number	US-201816230902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a front panel door part, a drawer part located rearward of the front panel door part, and a connection device that is located at the front panel door part, that is configured to couple the front panel door part with the drawer part, and that is configured to transmit power from the front panel door part to the drawer part. The connection device includes an exposed portion that is exposed through the rear surface of the front panel door part and that allows a user to manipulate the connection device, and the connection device is configured to, based on a manipulation of the exposed portion of the connection device by the user, decouple the front panel door part from the drawer part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines an upper storage space and a lower storage space;
a front panel door part configured to open and close at least a portion of the lower storage space;
a drawer part that is located rearward of a rear surface of the front panel door part, that defines an accommodation space having an opened top surface, and that is configured to insert into and withdraw from the lower storage space together with the front panel door part;
a drawer-side device disposed in the drawer part and configured to elevate an object stored in the drawer part relative to the drawer part;
a shaft connection member exposed through a front surface of the drawer part and configured to transfer power for operation of the drawer-side device;
a door-side device located at the front panel door part and configured to provide power to the drawer-side device for operation of the drawer-side device; and
a connection device that is located at the front panel door part and that is configured to transmit power from the door-side device to the drawer-side device in a state in which the front panel door part is coupled with the drawer part,
wherein the connection device comprises:
a manipulation member that is exposed through the rear surface of the front panel door part and that is configured to be manipulated by a user, and
a first connection member that is disposed at the manipulation member, that is located at a position corresponding to the shaft connection member, and that is configured to couple to the shaft connection member, the first connection member being configured to rotate according to operation of the door-side device, and

wherein the manipulation member is configured to, based on manipulation by the user, cause the first connection member to move away from the shaft connection member and be decoupled from the shaft connection member to thereby allow the drawer-side device and the door-side device to be decoupled from each other in a state in which the drawer-side device and the door-side device are mounted on the drawer part and the front panel door part, respectively.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rear surface of the front panel door part defines a recess part, and
wherein the connection device is accommodated in the recess part of the rear surface of the front panel door part.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the front panel door part comprises a door cover configured to cover the recess part of the rear surface of the front panel door part.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the rear surface of the front panel door part defines an opening through which a portion of the connection device is exposed to allow the manipulation of the manipulation member by the user.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the connection device further comprises:
a connection device case located at the front panel door part;
a second connection gear accommodated in the connection device case and configured to be gear-coupled to a first connection gear in the door-side device, the second connection gear being configured to rotate about an axis of the second connection gear;
and
an elastic member configured to support the second connection gear and the first connection member,
wherein the first connection member is configured to connect to the second connection gear along a direction of the axis of the second connection gear, rotate together with the second connection gear, and selectively couple the door-side device with the drawer-side device to transmit power to the drawer-side device, and
wherein the first connection member is further configured to:
compress the elastic member based on insertion of the first connection member into the connection device case; and
disconnect from the drawer-side device in a state in which the first connection member and the second connection gear are inserted into the connection device case.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the manipulation member comprises:
a through-hole that is defined at a side of the manipulation member facing the drawer part and that is configured to receive the first connection member; and
a push part that protrudes toward the drawer part and that is configured to be manipulated by the user.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the connection device further comprises a coupling member that is configured to connect the second connection gear to a rotation center of the first connection member and that allows the second connection gear and the first connection member to rotate together with each other,
wherein the first connection member defines an insertion hole configured to receive the coupling member, the first connection member being configured move along the coupling member based on the coupling member passing through the insertion hole, and
wherein the elastic member is located between the second connection gear and the first connection member.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the connection device further comprises a first connection part configured to connect to the drawer-side device and located at an end of the first connection member facing the insertion hole,
wherein an inside of the first connection part is configured to couple to an end of the drawer-side device, the inside of the first connection part having a shape corresponding to a shape of the end of the drawer-side device, and
wherein the first connection part is configured to transfer power based on the inside of the first connection part coupling to the end of the drawer-side device.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support member located in the drawer part and configured to support an object stored in the drawer part;
at least one elevation device that is located at each of a first side and a second side of the drawer part, that is configured to couple to each of a first end and a second end of the support member, and that is configured to elevate the support member relative to the drawer part;
at least one power transmission member that is located at each of the first side and the second side of the drawer part, that extends from a front surface of the drawer part toward the front panel door part, and that is configured to connect to the at least one elevation device, the at least one power transmission member being configured to transmit power to the at least one elevation device; and
a driving device located at the front panel door part and configured to provide power for operation of the at least one elevation device,
wherein the connection device is configured to couple the driving device with the at least one power transmission member, and to transmit power from the driving device to the at least one power transmission member, and
wherein the connection device is configured to, based on the manipulation of the manipulation member, decouple from the at least one power transmission member.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein an end of the at least one power transmission member is located at each of a first side and a second side of the front surface of the drawer part, and
wherein the connection device is arranged to face the at least one power transmission member, and configured to couple with the at least one power transmission member in a state in which the front panel door part and the drawer part are coupled to each other.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least one elevation device comprises:
a rail housing located at an inner surface of the drawer part;
an elevation shaft located in the rail

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Jinho

Classifications

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D23/021

  Sliding doors · CPC title

• F25D25/005

  using containers · CPC title

• F25D25/00

  Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled · CPC title

• F25D25/04

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title