Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10775096-B2
Application number	US-201715841112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 13, 2016
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a refrigerator including a vacuum packing device. The refrigerator includes a body and a vacuum packing device provided in the body and configured to suction air in a vinyl pack having a check valve, wherein the vacuum packing device includes a vacuum pump provided to suction the air, a switch module provided to control an operation of the vacuum pump, a suction head including a first path directly connected to the check valve and configured to suction the air, and a chamber including a first opening connected to the first path and provided to collect a foreign substance suctioned through the suction head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a body; and
a vacuum packing device provided in the body and configured to suction air in a vinyl pack to store a food,
wherein the vacuum packing device includes:
a vacuum pump provided to suction the air;
a switch module provided to control an operation of the vacuum pump;
a suction head including a first path directly connected to the vinyl pack and configured to suction the air; and
a chamber including a first opening connected to the first path and provided to collect a foreign substance suctioned through the suction head,

wherein the chamber further includes a second opening connected to the vacuum pump to discharge the air introduced into the first opening and provided at a higher level than the first opening, and a third opening axially aligned with the first opening,
wherein the first opening is formed in a front of the chamber and the second and third openings are formed in a rear of the chamber, and
wherein the switch module includes a button configured to pass through the first opening and the third opening and protrude to an outside of the suction head.

2. The refrigerator of the claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump is provided to operate when the button is pressed.

3. The refrigerator of the claim 2 , wherein the switch module further includes an elastic member configured to elastically bias the button to protrude to the outside of the suction head.

4. The refrigerator according to the claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the first path is provided to be greater than a diameter of the button so that the air flows in a space between the first path and the button.

5. The refrigerator according to the claim 1 , wherein the vacuum packing device further comprises a tube configured to connect the chamber and the vacuum pump while forming a second path connected to the second opening.

6. The refrigerator according to the claim 5 , wherein:
the tube includes an inlet into which the air is introduced and an outlet from which the air is discharged; and
a first direction in which the air is introduced into the inlet is opposite a second direction in which the air is discharged from the outlet.

7. The refrigerator of the claim 1 , wherein the first opening is formed in one surface of the chamber and the second opening is formed in another surface thereof opposite the one surface.

8. The refrigerator according to the claim 1 , further comprising a door including a dispenser provided to supply water and rotatably coupled to the body,
wherein the vacuum packing device is provided at one side of the dispenser.

9. The refrigerator according to the claim 1 , wherein the suction head is detachably coupled to the chamber so that the foreign substance is removable in the chamber.

10. The refrigerator according to the claim 9 , wherein the suction head includes an elastic material and is coupled to the chamber by insertion.

11. The refrigerator according to the claim 1 , wherein the vacuum packing device further includes:
an inner case in which the vacuum pump, the chamber, and the switch module are disposed; and
an outer case in which the inner case and the suction head are disposed,
wherein the outer case includes a cover door provided to be slidable in front of the suction head.

12. The refrigerator according to the claim 11 , wherein:
the vacuum packing device further includes a support member provided to fix the inner case to an inner side of the outer case; and
the support member includes brackets provided on both sides of the support member and an elastic member disposed between the brackets and the inner case.

13. The refrigerator according to the claim 1 , wherein the button is provided to turn the vacuum pump on and off.

14. A refrigerator comprising:
a body;
a door rotatably coupled to the body; and
a vacuum packing device provided in the door and configured to suction air in a vinyl pack having a check valve,
wherein the vacuum packing device includes:
a vacuum pump;
a suction head configured to suction the air in the vinyl pack;
a chamber including a first opening connected to the suction head so that the air suctioned through the suction head flows in the suction head, and a second opening connected to the vacuum pump to discharge the air introduced into the first opening and provided at a higher level than the first opening, and a third opening axially aligned with the first opening;
a tube configured to connect the chamber and the vacuum pump and connected to the second opening; and
a switch module provided to control an operation of the vacuum pump,

wherein the first opening is formed in a front of the chamber and the second and third openings are formed in a rear of the chamber, and
wherein the switch module includes a button configured to pass through the first opening and the third opening and protrude to an outside of the suction head.

15. The refrigerator according to the claim 14 , wherein the suction head is provided to be directly connected to the check valve.

16. The refrigerator according to the claim 14 , wherein the vacuum pump is provided to operate when the button is pressed.

17. The refrigerator according to the claim 14 , wherein:
the door further includes a dispenser provided to supply water to an outside of the door; and
the suction head is disposed on the dispenser.

18. A refrigerator comprising a vacuum packing device provided to suction air in a vinyl pack, wherein the vacuum packing device includes:
a vacuum pump;
a suction head directly connected to the vinyl pack and provided to suction the air;
a chamber including a first opening connected to the suction head so that the air suctioned through the suction head flows in the suction head, and a second opening connected to the vacuum pump to discharge the air introduced into the first opening and provided at a higher level than the first opening, and a third opening axially aligned with the first opening; and
a switch module including a button configured to pass through the first opening and the third opening and protrude to an outside of the suction head, and provided to operate the vacuum pump when the button is pressed,
wherein the first opening is formed in a front of the chamber and the second and third openings are formed in a rear of the chamber.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ha Joo-Young
• Seo Kook Jeong
• Lee Ji-Young
• Han Jeong Su
• Yeo Ji Yun
• Lee Sang Tak

Classifications

• F25D23/12 Primary

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title

• B65B31/024

  specially adapted for wrappers or bags (B65B31/021, B65B31/022 take precedence) · CPC title

• F25D23/04

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

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title