Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670332-B2
Application number	US-201715856756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2017
Priority date	Jan 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A dispenser of a refrigerator includes a switch and a lever unit configured to pressurize the switch, and the lever unit includes a lever including a body and a pressurizer extending toward a rear side of the body and configured to pressurize the switch; a frame disposed behind the body and configured to support the lever; and a guide configured to cover the switch to prevent condensation from flowing into the switch and guide the condensation between the lever and the frame. Therefore, condensation can be effectively prevented from flowing into the switch, and the frame is inserted into an insertion portion provided at a door, four surfaces constituting the frame are brought into contact with and supported by the insertion portion, and thus the lever can be stably supported.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close the storage compartment; and
a dispenser including a switch and a lever unit configured to pressurize the switch,
wherein the lever unit includes:
a lever including a body and a pressurizer extending toward a rear side of the body and configured to pressurize the switch;
a frame disposed behind the body and configured to support the lever; and
a guide extending from a rear surface of the body, the guide including a first surface extending in a horizontal direction and a second surface extending in a vertical direction and a connecting surface bent to connect the first surface and the second surface, the guide configured to:
cover the switch to prevent condensation from flowing into the switch, and
guide the condensation between the lever and the frame.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the frame includes an open portion that is open in front and rear directions of the lever, and
at least a portion of the guide is provided to pass through the open portion of the frame.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the connecting surface is disposed at a rear side of the open portion of the frame.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein:
the guide is configured to guide condensation, which flows from an outlet, in a vertical direction of the lever.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein:
the frame further includes a guide protrusion extending from a rear surface of the frame toward the rear side to guide movement of the lever when the lever is tilted, and
the lever further includes a cover provided at one side of the bent portion to cover the guide protrusion and allow the lever to be guided by the guide protrusion when the lever is tilted.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein:
the first surface extends in left and right directions of the lever,
the second surface includes a pair of second surfaces extending in the vertical direction of the lever, and
the connecting surface is configured to connect both ends of the first surface to upper ends of the pair of second surfaces, respectively.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the first surface is disposed above the switch, and the pair of second surfaces are disposed at both sides of the switch, respectively.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the dispenser further includes an auxiliary guide disposed between the first surface and the switch to further prevent the condensation from flowing into the switch.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary guide is configured to cover an upper surface of the switch and side surfaces of the switch.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the lever further includes a tilt coupler extending toward a rear side of the lever and coupled to one side of the frame to tiltably couple the lever to the frame, and
the frame further includes a tilt coupling recess disposed at the one side of the frame and provided to allow the tilt coupler to be rotatably inserted into the tilt coupling recess.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein:
the lever unit further includes an elastic member disposed between the tilt coupler and the tilt coupling recess and configured to elastically support the lever, and
the lever further includes a stopper configured to be brought into contact with the other side of the frame to restrict an elastic movement of the lever.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes:
an upper surface,
a bottom surface, and
a pair of side surfaces provided between both ends of the upper surface and the bottom surface.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein:
the dispenser further includes an insertion portion disposed at one side of the door to allow the lever unit to be inserted into the one side of the door, and
the insertion portion is provided to be brought into contact with the upper surface, the bottom surface, and the pair of side surfaces of the frame.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein:
the frame further includes a hook portion extending toward a rear side of the frame and hook-coupled to the insertion portion, and
the insertion portion includes a hook recess hook-coupled to the hook portion.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the frame further includes a contact protrusion extending from at least one among the upper surface, the bottom surface, and the pair of side surfaces of the frame and disposed to be brought into contact with the insertion portion.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close the storage compartment;
an insertion portion provided at one side of the door;
a switch disposed at the insertion portion; and
a lever unit inserted into the insertion portion and configured to pressurize the switch,
wherein the lever unit includes:
a lever including a body and a tilt coupler disposed at a rear side of the body and provided to allow the body to be tiltable;
a frame coupled to the tilt coupler and inserted into the insertion portion; and
a guide extending from a rear surface of the body, the guide including a first surface extending in a horizontal direction and a second surface extending in a vertical direction and a connecting surface bent to connect the first surface and the second surface, the guide configured to:
cover an upper side and a side surface of the switch, and
guide condensation between the lever and the frame to prevent the condensation from flowing into the switch.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein:
the frame includes an open portion that is open in front and rear directions of the lever, and
the guide is provided at a position corresponding to the open portion in a vertical direction of the lever.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the insertion portion includes an auxiliary guide disposed between the guide and the switch to further prevent the condensation from flowing into the switch.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the auxiliary guide is provided to cover the upper side and the side surface of the switch.

20. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close the storage compartment;
an insertion portion having four surfaces formed to be recessed from one side of the door toward an interior of the door;
a switch disposed on the insertion portion at the one side of the door; and
a lever unit inserted into the insertion portion and configured to pressurize the switch,
wherein the lever unit includes:
a frame having four surfaces configured to be brought into contact with the four surfaces of the insertion portion, respectively, and inserted into the insertion portion;
a lever coupled to the frame; and
a guide extending from a rear surface of the body, the guide including a first surface extending in a horizontal direction and a second surface extending in a vertical direction and a connecting surface bent to connect the first surface and the second surface, the guide configured to cover the switch to prevent condensation from flowing into the switch.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Kyoung Ki

Classifications

• F25D23/126

  Water cooler · CPC title

• B67D1/0858

  using compression systems · CPC title

• F25D31/002 Primary

  Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler (receptacle coolers F25D31/006) · CPC title

• F25D21/14

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• B67D1/16

  Devices for collecting spilled beverages · CPC title