Appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12385648-B2
Application number	US-202318229271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2023
Priority date	Aug 2, 2022
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an appliance. The appliance includes a detection main body portion configured to receive a force generated due to movement of a door as an input, a first sensor configured to detect opening and closing of the door, and a second sensor configured to detect a vibration input to the door, wherein both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the force input to the detection main body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance comprising:
a main body having a first accommodation space with an open front and a second accommodation space formed therein, the second accommodation space being provided above the first accommodation space;
a door provided at a front side of the first accommodation space and configured to rotate about a lower end of the door in a front-rear direction to open or close the first accommodation space; and
a detection module provided in the second accommodation space and configured to detect movement of the door,
wherein the detection module includes:
a detection module main body installed at the main body and at the front side of the first accommodation space to receive a force input from the door,
a first sensor configured to detect the force input to the detection module main body to detect opening and closing of the door, and
a second sensor configured to detect the force input to the detection module main body to detect a vibration associated with an input to the door.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the detection module main body includes:
a main supporter installed at the main body; and
one or more transmission members movably installed on the main supporter and configured to receive the input force of the door and to move in a front-rear direction.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein:
the one or more transmission members move to a rear side due to the force input of the door; and
the detection module further includes an elastic member configured to provide an elastic force that causes the one or more transmission members to return in a front direction.

4. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the one or more transmission members include:
a first transmitter configured to receive the input force of the door and transmit the input force to the first sensor; and
a second transmitter configured to receive the input force of the door and transmit the input force to the second sensor.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein:
the first transmitter is installed on the main supporter to be movable in the front-rear direction and is provided to come in contact with the door at the front side of the first accommodation space; and
the second transmitter moves in accordance with the movement of the first transmitter.

6. The appliance of claim 5 , wherein:
the first transmitter is formed in the shape of a bar that extends in the front-rear direction;
the second sensor is provided at an upper side of the first sensor; and
the second transmitter is formed to protrude upward from the first transmitter.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitter are connected together to form a sideway U-shape (“⊐”).

8. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the detection module further includes a support assembly configured to support the second sensor and to transmit a vibration transmitted through the detection module main body to the second sensor.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the support assembly includes:
a supporter configured to support the second sensor and to change posture angle due to a vibration transmitted by the one or more transmission members; and
a supporter holder installed at the main body and configured to support the supporter so that the posture angle of the supporter changes based on the vibration transmitted by the one or more transmission members,
wherein a position of the second sensor in the front-rear direction is changed in accordance with the change in the posture angle of the supporter.

10. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein:
the first transmitter is configured to be movable toward a rear of the second accommodation space in accordance with movement of the door, and the second transmitter is configured to move in accordance with movement of the first transmitter;
the supporter is provided at a side of and above the first sensor; and
the second transmitter protrudes upward from the first transmitter and is formed to protrude to a height at which the second transmitter comes in contact with the supporter.

11. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein:
the supporter holder further includes a front wall body provided at a front side of the supporter; and
the front wall body protrudes downward from the supporter holder.

12. The appliance of claim 11 , wherein:
an upper end of the second transmitter is higher than a lower end of the front wall body; and
a through-hole forming a passage through which the second transmitter in the front-rear direction is provided in the front wall body.

13. The appliance of claim 9 , further comprising:
a cavity having the first accommodation space formed therein; and
front panels provided between the cavity and the door, at least a portion of the front panels being provided at a front of the second accommodation space,
wherein the supporter holder is installed at at least one of the front panels.

14. The appliance of claim 13 , wherein the supporter includes:
a sensor support configured to support the sensor; and
a rotation support configured to rotatably couple the sensor support to the supporter holder in the front-rear direction.

15. The appliance of claim 13 , wherein the supporter holder includes:
a holder main body coupled to at least one of the front panels and provided above the supporter; and
rotation protrusion supports that protrude downward from the holder main body and are configured to rotatably support the supporter.

16. The appliance of claim 15 , wherein:
at least one of the front panels includes a fitting boss that protrudes rearward from the at least one of front panels;
the supporter holder further includes a fitting protrusion configured to protrude forward from the holder main body; and
the fitting protrusion is inserted into a fitting groove formed in the fitting boss and is fitted and coupled to the fitting boss.

17. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein:
the front panels include a first front panel provided between the cavity and the door and a second front panel provided to cover a front of the second accommodation space and coupled to the first front panel;
the first front panel is formed of a metal material;
the fitting boss is formed on the second front panel; and
the second front panel is formed of a synthetic resin material.

18. The appliance of claim 17 , wherein:
a first fastening hole is provided to be spaced apart from the fitting boss in a lateral direction and is formed to pass through at least one of the front panels in the front-rear direction;
a second fastening hole communicating with the first fastening hole is formed to pass through the holder main body in the front-rear direction; and
a fastening member passes through the front panels and the holder main body through the first fastening hole and the second fastening hole and couples the front panels and the supporter holder.

19. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first front panel provided between the first accommodation space and the door; and
a second front panel provided to cover a front of the second accommodation space and coupled to the first front panel,
wherein the second front panel is formed of a material having lower thermal conductivity than the first front panel and is provided between the door and the detection module.

20. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a latch configured to lock the door and a driving portion configured to operate the latch,
wherein the latch, the driving portion, and th

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shin Myeongsu
• Lee Wanglim

Classifications

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• G01P15/097 Primary

  by vibratory elements · CPC title

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title

• F24C15/02

  Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges · CPC title

• D06F2103/40

  Opening or locking status of doors · CPC title