Abstract: A washing machine has a water spray device to efficiently wet the laundry by spraying washing water to the laundry with uniform pressure. The washing machine includes an outer tub, and a water spray device installed at an upper portion of the outer tub to spray washing water. The water spray device includes a diffusion duct for diffusing the washing water around the outer tub and a spray member provided in the diffusion duct to spray the washing water into the outer tub.

Abstract: A washing machine has a water spray device to efficiently wet the laundry by spraying washing water to the laundry with uniform pressure. The washing machine includes an outer tub, and a water spray device installed at an upper portion of the outer tub to spray washing water. The water spray device includes a diffusion duct for diffusing the washing water around the outer tub and a spray member provided in the diffusion duct to spray the washing water into the outer tub.

Abstract: A hinge device for a storage containerand includes a housing mounted on any one of the door and a container body, a pair of hinge shafts rotatably fit in respective ends of the housing, each of the pair of hinge shaft including a cam shaft part with a first cam provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and an extension shaft part outwardly extending from the cam shaft part to couple to a remaining one of the door and the container body, a pair of movable members, which are received in respective ends of the housing and fit on the cam shaft parts of the respective hinge shafts, each of the pair of movable members having a second cam to engage with the respective first cam, and a pair of compression springs disposed in ends of the housing to bias the pair of movable members toward the pair of first cams, respectively.

Abstract: A kimchi refrigerator includes a cabinet to define an external appearance of the kimchi refrigerator. The cabinet includes a storage compartment to store food. The storage compartment is opened at a top thereof to form an opening. A lid is hinged to a predetermined portion of the cabinet to close the opening of the cabinet. A hinge unit hinges the lid to the predetermined portion of the cabinet. In this case, first and second cam units are included at both ends of the hinge unit to be mounted to both sides, or corners, of the lid to open or close the lid.

Abstract: A hinge device for a storage containerand includes a housing mounted on any one of the door and a container body, a pair of hinge shafts rotatably fit in respective ends of the housing, each of the pair of hinge shaft including a cam shaft part with a first cam provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and an extension shaft part outwardly extending from the cam shaft part to couple to a remaining one of the door and the container body, a pair of movable members, which are received in respective ends of the housing and fit on the cam shaft parts of the respective hinge shafts, each of the pair of movable members having a second cam to engage with the respective first cam, and a pair of compression springs disposed in ends of the housing to bias the pair of movable members toward the pair of first cams, respectively.

Abstract: A hinge device coupling a cover to a container body is minimized so as not to project from the container body to achieve a neat appearance, and is simplified to facilitate efficient production and installation. The hinge device includes a housing having a cavity and attached to one of the cover and the container body, a hinge shaft having a cam part rotatably housed in the housing and having a major axis and a minor axis in cross-section, an insert part extended from the cam part to protrude from the housing and connected to the other one of the cover and the container body, and a pair of leaf springs disposed in the housing to press respective outer surfaces of the cam part.

Abstract: A kimchi refrigerator includes a cabinet to define an external appearance of the kimchi refrigerator. The cabinet includes a storage compartment to store food. The storage compartment is opened at a top thereof to form an opening. A lid is hinged to a predetermined portion of the cabinet to close the opening of the cabinet. A hinge unit hinges the lid to the predetermined portion of the cabinet. In this case, first and second cam units are included at both ends of the hinge unit to be mounted to both sides, or corners, of the lid to open or close the lid.

Abstract: A hinge device coupling a cover to a container body is minimized in size to be embedded in the cover or the container body without exposure to an outside of the cover and the container body. The hinge device provides the storage container with a neat appearance and is easily installed in a storage container. The hinge device includes a hollow housing attached to one of the cover and the container body, a hinge shaft having a shaft part received in the hollow housing and rotatably supported by the hollow housing, an extension part extended from an end of the shaft part and coupled to the other one of the cover and the container body, and one or more protrusions provided at the shaft part, a movable member inserted around on the shaft part to be moved longitudinally and having cam surfaces contacting the protrusions, and a compression spring received in the housing to bias the movable member toward the protrusions.

Abstract: A hinge device coupling a cover to a container body is minimized so as not to project from the container body to achieve a neat appearance, and is simplified to facilitate efficient production and installation. The hinge device includes a housing having a cavity and attached to one of the cover and the container body, a hinge shaft having a cam part rotatably housed in the housing and having a major axis and a minor axis in cross-section, an insert part extended from the cam part to protrude from the housing and connected to the other one of the cover and the container body, and a pair of leaf springs disposed in the housing to press respective outer surfaces of the cam part.

Abstract: A sliding device for a storage case is provided which is durable and provides a smooth sliding motion even in environments, such as those encountered in a refrigerator, wherein the storage case is subjected to humid, cold (below the freezing point) conditions. The sliding device comprises a fixed rail fixedly mounted to an inner side surface of the storage case and having a roller coupling portion in which a first set of rollers are rollably received; a movable rail fixedly mounted to an outer side surface of the storage container and having a roller coupling portion in which a set of second rollers are rollably received; and a middle rail which is slidably mounted between the fixed rail and the movable rail so as to provide a coupling relationship therebetween which guides the rolling motion of the first and second rollers. The fixed rail, the movable rail and the middle rail, as well as the rollers, are made of an injection molded plastic.

Abstract: A sliding device for a storage case is provided which is durable and provides a smooth sliding motion even in environments, such as those encountered in a refrigerator, wherein the storage case is subjected to humid, cold (below the freezing point) conditions. The sliding device comprises a fixed rail fixedly mounted to an inner side surface of the storage case and having a roller coupling portion in which a first set of rollers are rollably received; a movable rail fixedly mounted to an outer side surface of the storage container and having a roller coupling portion in which a set of second rollers are rollably received; and a middle rail which is slidably mounted between the fixed rail and the movable rail so as to provide a coupling relationship therebetween which guides the rolling motion of the first and second rollers. The fixed rail, the movable rail and the middle rail, as well as the rollers, are made of an injection molded plastic.

Abstract: A refrigerator door supporting structure having middle and lower hinges fixed at a case, the structure comprising a fixation bracket disposed at a top door; a position fixation unit for coupling one end of the hinge plate to the fixation bracket; and a compression unit for pressing and fixing the hinge plate and, at the same time, for releasing the hinge plate from the fixation bracket when the pressing force is removed, thereby improving job efficiency in assembly of the refrigerator door and improving conveniences in moving a large refrigerator through a narrow gate.

Abstract: In a refrigerator temperature controlling apparatus and method thereof adopting GA-fuzzy inference, the refrigerator includes a cool air passage formed at both sides of the rear surface of a housing for guiding downward the cool air passing through a guide passage, a cool air discharging adjustment blade rotatably installed in front of the housing for dispersing and concentrating the cool air produced from discharging apertures, a driving motor for driving the cool air discharging adjustment blade, and a controller with each temperature sensors in left right side walls, for comparing the temperature inferred by the GA-fuzzy inference with data learned by reference to control the cool air discharging direction. Therefore, the cooling speed becomes fast and the temperature distribution depending on the refrigerated foodstuffs is made uniform throughout the refrigeration compartment. Also, the incoming external temperature due to door openings can be compensated for.

Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigerator having a hinge member assembled with a door for opening/closing a cooling compartment, and a hinge bracket for supporting the hinge member. The hinge member has a hinge pin assembled on a lower comer of the door, and a pin support part for supporting the hinge pin. The hinge bracket is fixed on a body of the refrigerator, and forms a pocket part for accommodating the hinge member so as to be capable of being pulled out upward therefrom. When the width of the refrigerator has to be narrowed in order to pass the refrigerator through a gate of a room, the door is disassembled and then the hinge member is pulled out from the hinge bracket. Thus, the width of the refrigerator can be narrowed without detaching the hinge bracket from the body, and the damage on the hinge member can be prevented while the refrigerator is conveyed.

Abstract: A refrigerator has a door-coupling structure facilitating the connection or disconnection of a door relative to a main body. The main body forms a food storage chamber which is opened and closed by the door. The door is hingedly mounted to the body by a hinge plate. An auxiliary hinge plate is fixed to the main body, and the rear end of the hinge plate is placed on the auxiliary plate. A fixing plate is disposed on the hinge plate and detachably coupled with the auxiliary hinge plate by a snap-on connection so as to secure the hinge plate onto the auxiliary hinge plate in the absence of separate fasteners such as bolts or screws.

Abstract: This invention relates to a refrigerator having an air distribution apparatus in which the temperature distribution throughout the whole volume of a compartment is maintained in uniform by evenly dispersing the evaporated cool air, and it achieves concentrated refrigeration on a specified area of the compartment requiring a special refrigeration by controlling the discharging direction and quantity of the evaporated cool air. The refrigerator comprises a body 4 partitioned into a freezing compartment 2 and a refrigerating compartment 3; an evaporator 12 disposed in the body 4; and an air distribution apparatus 17 disposed on one wall of the refrigerating compartment 3.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes separate freezing and refrigerating compartments, each having is own evaporator and air circulating fan. The evaporator and fan of the refrigerating compartment are mounted to a housing that is attached to a rear wall of the refrigerator. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet, the outlet including vertically spaced openings. A blade is mounted in the housing and is driven about a vertical axis for distributing cool air to the outlet openings.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment and a cool air distributing system on the back wall thereof. The distributing system includes vertical passages which divide a flow of incoming cool air and conduct the air to vertically spaced discharge openings communicating with the refrigerating compartment. Disposed in the path of air flow is an air directing structure having adjustable vanes for controlling the horizontal direction in which the air flows enter the refrigerating compartment. Each vane is motor driven and can comprise vertical plates or helical elements rotated about a vertical axis. Alternatively, each vane can be a helical vane disposed on the inside surface of a hollow cylinder for guiding an air flow from within the cylinder outwardly through openings formed in a wall of the cylinder.

Abstract: A cool air discharge controller for a refrigerator and a controlling method thereof are provided.

Abstract: A refrigerator having a cool air path and a cool air discharge control blade for distributing cool air and controlling the discharge direction thereof and a method for controlling refrigerator temperature by controlling a cool air discharge direction are provided. By placing a disk-shaped cool air guiding portion in a discharge hole, cool air is rapidly and uniformly distributed via the cool air path and by low-speed rotation of the cool air discharge control blade, thus keeping the refrigerator at a predetermined temperature uniformly. Temperature sensors are installed on each side of the refrigeration compartment and the sensed average or representative temperatures are compared with a control reference temperature, so that cool air can be discharged to high temperature areas.