Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935306-B2
Application number	US-201916557665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a storage chamber, an upper door that is configured to open and close an upper portion of the storage chamber by being drawn in and out, a lower door that is positioned below the upper door and that is configured to open and close a lower portion of the storage chamber by being drawn in and out, an upper door restriction unit that is configured to selectively restrict the upper door from being opened, and a lower door restriction unit that is configured to selectively restrict the lower door from being opened. The upper door restriction unit is configured, based on the lower door being opened, to restrict the upper door from opening, and the lower door restriction unit is configured, based on the upper door being opened, to restrict the lower door from opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber, the first storage chamber being positioned above the second storage chamber;
a partition member that separates the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber;
an upper door configured to open and close the first storage chamber;
a lower door configured to open and close the second storage chamber;
an upper door restriction unit configured to, based on the lower door being opened, extend from the second storage chamber to the first storage chamber through the partition member to thereby restrict the upper door from being opened; and
a lower door restriction unit configured to, based on the upper door being opened, extend from the first storage chamber to the second storage chamber through the partition member to thereby restrict the lower door from being opened,
wherein the lower door restriction unit includes:
a lower restriction unit case that is provided at the partition member and that defines top and bottom openings,
a slider that is accommodated in the lower restriction unit case and configured to move up and down therein, the slider being exposed through the top and bottom openings of the lower restriction unit case, respectively, and
a lower elastic member having each opposing end connected to the lower restriction unit case and the slider, respectively, and configured to be tensioned based on the slider moving downward.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
upper pinions that are disposed at left and right sides of the partition member; and
upper draw-out racks that are disposed at a bottom surface of the upper door, the upper draw-out racks being configured to be gear coupled to the upper pinions to thereby move together with the upper pinions.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the partition member is extended in a left-right direction across an entire width of front end portions of the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber, and the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber are in fluid communication with each other.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the upper door restriction unit is provided at the partition member and configured to come in contact with the upper door.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the upper door restriction unit protrudes through a top surface of the partition member to restrict the upper door.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the slider includes:
an upper part that extends in a vertical direction and that includes an upper end that is configured to become restricted with a bottom surface of the upper door; and
a lower part that extends forward from a lower end of the upper part and that is configured to be selectively restricted with a rear surface of the lower door based on the upper part moving up and down.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , further comprising an upper restriction protrusion that is provided at a lower portion of the upper door, the upper restriction protrusion being configured, based on the upper door being closed, to press down a top surface of the upper part of the slider.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein a rear surface of the upper restriction protrusion includes an inclined part that is inclined toward a rearward direction,
wherein an upper end at a front surface of the upper part includes an inclined surface having an inclination corresponding to the inclined part, and
wherein the inclined part and the inclined surface are configured, based on the upper door being drawn in from a drawn-out state, to come into contact with each other to thereby move the slider downward.

9. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the upper part defines a guide slot that is extended vertically along a longitudinal direction of the upper part, the guide slot being open toward left and right sides of the upper part, and
wherein an inner side surface of the lower restriction unit case includes an upper fixing part that extends through the guide slot and to guide a vertical up-down movement of the slider.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the lower elastic member is accommodated inside the guide slot, and
wherein the upper end of the lower elastic member is fixed to the upper fixing part and the lower end of the lower elastic member is fixed to a lower fixing part provided at the lower end of the guide slot.

11. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein a cut part through which the upper part passes is defined at a lower end at a front surface of the lower restriction unit case.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the slider includes a locking member that protrudes forward, the locking member being configured to be selectively restricted with the lower door by passing in and out of a restriction groove provided at a door rear surface.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the locking member has a plate shape and is made from a metal material, the locking member being mounted on a bottom surface of the slider and having a front surface part protruding from a front end of the locking member that is bent upward and configured to be inserted into the restriction groove.

14. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the locking member includes:
a bottom surface part that is in contact with a bottom surface of the slider; and
a front surface part that is bent upward from a front end of the bottom surface part and is positioned farther forward than a front surface of the slider.

15. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the restriction groove is recessed on a rear surface of the lower door at a position that corresponds to a front end of the slider, and is open downward to be restricted with an end portion of the locking member based on the locking member moving up and down.

16. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the upper door is configured to rotate to open and close the first storage chamber.

17. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elevation assembly provided in the lower door and configured to elevate a container or a food in the lower door based on the lower door being drawn out.

18. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the upper door is configured to, based on closing the first storage chamber, come into contact with the partition member, and
wherein the lower door is configured to, based on closing the second storage chamber, come into contact with the partition member.

19. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber, the first storage chamber being positioned above the second storage chamber;
a partition member that separates the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber;
an upper door configured to open and close the first storage chamber;
a lower door configured to open and close the second storage chamber; and
a door restriction unit provided on the partition member and configured to extend from the second storage chamber to the first storage chamber through the partition member,
wherein the door restriction unit is configured to restrict the lower door based on the upper door being opened and to restrict the upper door based on the lower door being opened such that the upper door and the lower door are restricted from being simultaneously opened, and
wherein the door restriction unit includes:
a restriction unit case that is provided at the partition member and that defines top and bottom openings,
a slider that is accommodated in th

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Cho Jeheon

Classifications

• F25D25/04

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title

• F25D2323/02

  Details of doors or covers not otherwise covered · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• E05B65/463

  Drawer interlock or anti-tilt mechanisms, i.e. when one drawer is open, at least one of the remaining drawers is locked · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title