Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9518777-B2
Application number	US-201414580277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that defines a first storage compartment configured to store food, a main door rotatably mounted on the cabinet and configured to open or close at least a portion of the first storage compartment, an accommodation device accessible through an opening in the main door, a sub door mounted on the main door and configured to open or close the opening, and a door opening assembly that is configured to selectively restrict one side of a back surface of the sub door to a corresponding side of a front surface of the main door to thereby selectively restrict movement of the sub door relative to the main door. The accommodation device defines a second storage compartment within the main door that is separated from the first storage compartment, and the door opening assembly is configured to be manipulated from a side surface of the sub door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a first storage compartment that is configured to store food;
a main door rotatably mounted on the cabinet and configured to open or close at least a portion of the first storage compartment and having an opening;
a sub door mounted on the main door and configured to open or close the opening; and
a door opening assembly that is configured to selectively restrict one side of a back surface of the sub door to a corresponding side of a front surface of the main door to thereby selectively restrict movement of the sub door relative to the main door, the door opening assembly being configured to be manipulated from a side edge portion of the sub door,
wherein the door opening assembly comprises:
a portion of a locking unit disposed inside the sub door and configured to be selectively restricted to the main door;
a manipulation unit disposed at a lower end of the side edge portion of the sub door, at least a portion of the manipulation unit being exposed outside the sub door to be manipulated by a user; and
a connection unit vertically disposed within the sub door to couple the locking unit to the manipulation unit,

wherein the connection unit is interlocked with the manipulation unit such that manipulating the manipulation unit releases a restriction between the locking unit and the main door,
wherein the main door includes an accommodation part formed in a front surface thereof, to accommodate a portion of the locking unit,
wherein the locking unit includes:
a locking member protruding from the back surface of the sub door to be selectively received in the accommodation part;
a locking member bracket on which the locking member is rotatably mounted;
a locking member case accommodating the locking member and the locking member bracket; and
a case cover to cover an opened portion of the locking member case, and

wherein the locking member includes:
a body horizontally extending to protrude by passing through the back surface of the sub door, an upper end of the connection unit being in contact with a lower surface of the body;
a restriction part formed at one end of the body and having a hook shape to be hooked to the accommodation part of the main door;
a rotation shaft formed at the other end of the body to allow the restriction part to rotate thereabout; and
an elastic member disposed on the rotation shaft to provide an elastic force for allowing the locking member to return to its original position.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the manipulation unit includes:
a manipulation member manipulated by the user;
a manipulation member case mounted inside the sub door; and
a case cover coupled to the manipulation member case to cover an opened surface of the manipulation member case.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the manipulation member includes:
a push part rotatably disposed inside the manipulation member case, wherein when the push part is pushed, the manipulation member is inserted into the manipulation member case;
a rotational shaft passing through an end of the push part to couple the push part rotatably to the manipulation member case; and
a support part extending from the rotational shaft to support a lower end of the connection unit, the support part being upwardly apart from the push part.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the connection unit includes:
a connection member of which a lower end is in contact with the support part and an upper end is in contact with the body of the locking member; and
a connection member case providing a space in which the connection member is accommodated.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein when the push part is pushed by the user, the connection member moves up to rotate the locking member such that the restriction part of the body is released from the restriction by the accommodation part of the main door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jihyun
• Kang Jinwon
• Lee Hangbok
• Park Kyutae
• Seo Woonkyu
• Lee Daesung

Classifications

• F25D23/025

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• E05C19/10

  Hook fastenings; Fastenings in which a link engages a fixed hook-like member · CPC title

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• E05B65/0042

  For refrigerators or cold rooms (E05B17/0075 takes precedence; magnetic E05C19/16) · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title