Refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553659-B2
Application number	US-202418785264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2024
Priority date	Apr 27, 2015
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An appliance comprising:
a cabinet that defines an internal space; a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the internal space; an input device configured to detect a door opening signal for opening the door; a push rod configured to move from a first position to a second position to thereby open the door; a driving motor configured to rotate in a first direction and a second direction, the driving motor configured to provide a driving force to cause the push rod to move (i) from the first position to the second position and (ii) from the second position to the first position; a push rod position detector configured to detect a position of the push rod; and a controller configured to control a direction of rotation of the driving motor and a speed of rotation of the driving motor, wherein the driving motor is configured to:
rotate in the first direction to thereby cause the push rod to move from the first position to the second position based on the door opening signal being input from the input device,
maintain a rotation in the first direction for a preset time while the push rod moves toward the second position, and
after maintaining the rotation in the first direction for the preset time, rotate in the second direction to thereby cause the push rod to move from the second position to the first position based on the push rod position detector sensing the push rod being disposed at the second position.

2 . The appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the first position is an initial position of the push rod, and the door is configured to be closed based on the push rod being disposed at the initial position, and
wherein the second position is a final position of the push rod, and the door is configured to be opened by a preset angle based on the push rod being disposed at the second position.

3 . The appliance according to claim 1 , further comprising an opening device printed circuit board (PCB) that supports the push rod position detector,
wherein the push rod comprises a magnet, and wherein the push rod position detector is configured to detect the magnet disposed at the push rod, the push rod position detector comprising:
a first Hall sensor disposed at the opening device PCB and configured to detect the first position of the push rod, and
second Hall sensor disposed at the opening device PCB and configured to detect the second position of the push rod.

4 . The appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the driving motor comprises a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor,
wherein the push rod position detector is configured to generate a frequency generating signal, and wherein the controller is configured to vary the speed of rotation of the driving motor based on counting the frequency generating signal generated by the push rod position detector.

5 . The appliance according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to vary the speed of the driving motor by controlling a duty cycle of an input current to the driving motor.

6 . The appliance according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
maintain the rotation in the first direction by operating the driving motor with a first duty cycle while the push rod moves from the first position toward the second position, and maintain the rotation in the first direction by operating the driving motor with a second duty cycle that is less than the first duty cycle based on the push rod reaching the second position.

7 . The appliance according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control the driving motor to rotate in the first direction in a first rotation speed during a first opening step while the push rod moves from the first position toward the second position; and control the driving motor to rotate in the first direction in a second rotation speed that is lower than the first rotation speed during a second opening step after the first opening step.

8 . The appliance according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control the driving motor to stop rotating based on a door opening interrupt signal being input while the push rod moves from the first position toward the second position; control the driving motor to rotate in the second direction in a first rotation speed during a first closing step after stopping rotation of the driving motor based on the door opening interrupt signal; and control the driving motor to rotate in the second direction in a second rotation speed that is lower than the first rotation speed during a second closing step after the first closing step.

9 . The appliance according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive the door opening interrupt signal that is input based on an external force being applied to restrict the door from opening; and based on the speed of rotation of the driving motor being less than a preset rotating speed, determine that the external force has been applied to restrict the door from opening.

10 . The appliance according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive the door opening interrupt signal that is input based on an external force being applied to restrict the door from opening; and based on an elapse of the preset time before the push rod reaches the second position by the rotation of the driving motor in the first direction, determine that the external force has been applied to restrict the door from opening.

11 . The appliance according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to control a display to output an error based on the door opening interrupt signal being input.

12 . An appliance comprising:
a cabinet that defines an internal space; a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the internal space; a door opening detector configured to detect whether the door is opened or closed; a push rod configured to move from a first position to a second position to thereby open the door; a driving motor configured to rotate in a first direction and a second direction, the driving motor being configured to provide a driving force to cause the push rod to move (i) from the first position to the second position or (ii) from the second position to the first position; a push rod position detector configured to detect a position of the push rod; and a controller configured to control a direction of rotation of the driving motor and a speed of rotation of the driving motor, wherein the controller is configured to:
stop the driving motor based on the door opening detector detecting that the door is opened while the push rod moves from the first position toward the second position, and
control the driving motor to rotate in the second direction in a first rotation speed during a first closing step after stopping rotation of the driving motor.

13 . The appliance according to claim 12 , wherein the door opening detector comprises a reed switch configured to be turned on or off in response to the door being opened or closed.

14 . The appliance according to claim 13 , further comprising an opening device printed circuit board (PCB) that supports the push rod position detector,
wherein the push rod comprises a magnet, and wherein the push rod position detector is configured to detect the magnet disposed at the push rod, the push rod position detector comprising:
a first Hall sensor disposed at the opening device PCB and configured to detect the first position of the push rod, and
a second Hall sensor disposed at the opening device PCB and configured to detect the second position of the push rod.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Minsub
• Kwon Hongsik
• Kim Dongjeong
• Lee Jungjae
• Shin Jaehoon

Classifications

• F25D2600/02

  Timing · CPC title

• F25D2323/023

  Door in door constructions · CPC title

• F21W2131/305

  for refrigerators · CPC title

• F21V33/0044

  Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title