Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016178268-A1
Application number	US-201514972181-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet; a storage compartment located within the cabinet; a first door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the first door configured to open or close a first portion of the storage compartment; a second door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the second door configured to open or close a second portion of the storage compartment; a pillar pivotally mounted to the first door and configured to block leakage of cold air between the first door and the second door; a pillar boss protruding outward from the pillar; a guide recess configured to guide the pillar boss; and a rotator that defines the guide recess, the rotator being configured to rotate about a rotation axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet; a storage compartment located within the cabinet; a first door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the first door configured to open or close a first portion of the storage compartment; a second door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the second door configured to open or close a second portion of the storage compartment; a pillar pivotally mounted to the first door and configured to block leakage of cold air between the first door and the second door; a pillar boss protruding outward from the pillar; a guide recess configured to guide the pillar boss; and a rotator that defines the guide recess, the rotator being configured to rotate about a rotation axis.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the guide recess includes:
an insertion portion configured to receive the pillar boss; a first slope coupled to the insertion portion, the first slope having a convex shape; and a second slope coupled to the insertion portion, the second slope having a concave shape.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the rotator is configured to rotate in a first direction based on closing force of the second door.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 3 , further comprising a protruding member protruding from the rotator,
wherein the protruding member is configured to contact the second door and the rotator is configured to rotate in the first direction based on the closing force of the second door.

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the second slope is configured to guide the pillar boss and the pillar is configured to be unfolded based on a first rotation of the rotator in the first direction.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , further comprising an elastic member coupled to the rotator and configured to rotate the rotator in a second direction based on elastic force of the elastic member.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a first guide configured to guide the elastic member, the elastic member being fitted to the first guide; a second guide configured to guide the first guide; an expanded portion coupled to one end of the first guide, a diameter of the expanded portion being larger than a diameter of the first guide; and a through-hole in the second guide, the through-hole being configured to fit the other end of the first guide, wherein the expanded portion is connected to the rotator.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the first slope is configured to guide the pillar boss and the pillar is configured to be folded based on a second rotation of the rotator in the second direction.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the elastic force of the elastic member is configured to be smaller than the closing force of the second door.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the pillar includes a pillar spring configured to retain a position of the pillar, and
wherein the elastic force of the elastic member is configured to be larger than inertia force of the pillar spring.

11 . The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the pillar boss is configured to, based on opening force of the first door, slide on the first slope and exit the insertion portion, and the pillar is configured to be folded after the pillar boss exits the insertion portion.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the pillar boss is configured to, based on closing force of the first door, enter the insertion portion and inwardly slide on the second slope, and the pillar is configured to be unfolded based on the pillar boss sliding on the second slope.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the elastic member includes two elastic member units and the first guide includes two first guide units, and the protruding member is located between the two elastic member units.

14 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the elastic member is spaced apart from the rotation axis in relation to the rotator.

15 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet; a storage compartment located within the cabinet; a first door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the first door configured to open or close a first portion of the storage compartment; a second door pivotally mounted to the cabinet, the second door configured to open or close a second portion of the storage compartment; a pillar rotatably mounted to the first door and configured to seal a gap between the first door and the second door; a rotator rotatably mounted to a ceiling of the storage compartment, the rotator rotating in a first direction based on closing force of the second door; and an elastic member configured to rotate the rotator in a second direction based on elastic force of the elastic member, wherein the pillar is configured to be unfolded based on a first rotation of the rotator in the first direction, and is configured to be folded based on a second rotation of the rotator in the second direction.

16 . The refrigerator according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a pillar boss protruding outward from the pillar; and a guide recess that is coupled to the rotator and that is configured to guide the pillar boss.

17 . The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the guide recess includes:
an insertion portion configured to receive the pillar boss; a first slope, having a convex shape, configured to guide the pillar boss being removed from the insertion portion; and a second slope, having a concave shape, configured to guide the pillar boss being inserted into the insertion portion.

18 . The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the guide recess rotates in the second direction and the first slope is configured to rotate the pillar boss in the first direction based on opening force of the second door.

19 . The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the guide recess rotates in the first direction and the second slope is configured to rotate the pillar boss in the second direction based on closing force of the second door.

20 . The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the rotator is configured to rotate in the first direction to a maximum extent and remain static after the second door is closed.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jung Jaehun
• Yu Seonil
• Kwon Hyokku

Classifications

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• E05F1/10 Primary

  for swinging wings {, e.g. counterbalance} · CPC title

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title

• E05F1/105 Primary

  with a compression spring · CPC title