Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator, more particularly a refrigerator having an auxiliary door is disclosed. The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a main door with an opening for opening/closing a storage chamber of a refrigerator body; an auxiliary door rotatably coupled to the main door for opening/closing the opening, the auxiliary door opened/closed by pushing an outer surface thereof; and a locking unit for selectively locking the auxiliary door to open/close the auxiliary door by pushing, and for applying rotation force to the auxiliary door to open the auxiliary door. With the above configuration, convenience for usage may be improved, because the auxiliary door is opened/closed more conveniently.

Description

This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No. P2005-0029417, filed on Apr. 8, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having an auxiliary door for opening/closing a part of a main door.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

In general, a refrigerator is an appliance which can preserve food fresh at a low temperature, and includes chambers for preserving food therein by freezing and/or refrigerating.

The chamber is opened/closed by a main door rotatably provided in a refrigerator body for allowing the food taken out from or put in the chamber.

Recently, a refrigerator has been under development, in which not only leakage of cold air caused by opening a main door quite often is reduced but also the food used frequently is taken out and/or put more conveniently, such as beverage, e.g., wine and/or beer.

More specifically, an opening in communication with the inside of chamber is formed in the main door for allowing a user the access to the food, and the opening is opened/closed by an auxiliary door.

Here, the auxiliary door is rotatably coupled to the main door to be opened/closed rotatably.

Also, an auxiliary food storage part is provided in the inner portion of the auxiliary door for storing the food which may be stored and taken out through the opening.

Thus, since the auxiliary door is opened/closed in a state where the refrigerator is closed, the food stored in the auxiliary food storage part is taken out by a user more conveniently.

Meanwhile, the auxiliary door is locked by an additional locking device. To open the auxiliary door locked by the additional locking device, a user should push a button for operating the locking device and should pull a handle of the auxiliary door.

Thus, the conventional refrigerator has a problem of inconvenience that a user should operate the button unlocking the auxiliary door as well as the handle to open the auxiliary door.

Furthermore, in case that a user using both hands at the same time tries to open and store the food or beverage, it is more inconvenient that he/she should put down the food and/or the beverage on the floor and open the auxiliary door and then lift the food and/or the beverage again to store in the auxiliary storage part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a refrigerator that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which convenience is improved on a user's sake.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a refrigerator comprising: a main door with an opening for opening/closing a storage chamber of a refrigerator body; an auxiliary door rotatably coupled to the main door for opening/closing the opening, the auxiliary door opened/closed by pushing an outer surface thereof; and a locking unit for selectively locking the auxiliary door to open/close the auxiliary door by pushing, and for applying rotation force to the auxiliary door to open the auxiliary door.

The locking unit comprises an engaging member provided in either of the auxiliary door and the main door; and a locker provided in the other of the auxiliary door and the main door for being selectively engaged to the engaging member, the locker for applying elasticity to the auxiliary door to open the auxiliary door when external force is applied to the auxiliary door.

The engaging member is provided in the auxiliary door and the locker comprising a latch assembly selectively engaged to the engaging member is provided in the main door.

The engaging member comprises: an engaging recess or an engaging hole selectively engaged to the latch assembly.

The latch assembly comprises: a rotatable coupling body coupled to the engaging member for locking the auxiliary door, the rotatable coupling body restituted to an original position and elastically pushing the engaging member.

The engaging member is provided in an upper portion of an inner wall of the auxiliary door and the locker is provided in an upper edge portion of the opening and a rotation shaft is provided in a lower portion of the auxiliary door, such that the auxiliary door is rotated with respect to the rotation shaft.

According to the refrigerator of present invention, a damping unit may be further included for dampening the rotation speed of the auxiliary door when the auxiliary door is opened.

The damping unit is provided in the rotation shaft of the auxiliary door.

The auxiliary door is opened through a first opening section in which the auxiliary door is rotated by the pushing force of the locking unit, a second opening section in which the auxiliary door is rotated by self weight, and a third opening section in which the damping unit dampens the rotation speed of the auxiliary door.

The main door comprises an auxiliary frame for defining a rim of the opening and for allowing the auxiliary door coupled thereto.

The opening of the main door communicates an inside of the storage chamber with an outside.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partially perspective view illustrating a refrigerator according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an auxiliary door of the refrigerator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an auxiliary frame having the auxiliary door coupled thereto;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the auxiliary door, an engaging member and a damper unit provided in the auxiliary door;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating an opened portion of the auxiliary door in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are front and rear sectional views illustrating an embodiment of a locking unit just before the auxiliary door of FIG. 2 is about to be locked;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are front and rear sectional views illustrating the locking unit in a state where the auxiliary door of FIG. 2 is locked;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are front and rear sectional views illustrating the locking unit just before the auxiliary door is about to be opened; and

FIG. 9 is diagram illustrating a relative movement passage of a stop member for a rotatable coupling body applied to the locking unit of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a refrigerator body 10 having a food storage chamber (not shown) therein, a main door 20 for opening/closing the storage chamber of the refrigerator body 10, and an auxiliary door 50 provided in the main door 20.

The main door 20 has an opening 30, and the auxiliary door 50 is rotatably coupled to the main door 20 for opening/closing the opening 30.

The main door 20 is rotatably coupled to the refrigerator body 10.

An embodiment of the refrigerator according to the present invention presents that a pair of main doors 20 is coupled to the refrigerator body 10, but the present invention is not limited to that.

The opening 30 is large enough for the middle portion of main door 20, and the position, the appearance and the size thereof may be variously changed.

Since the food and/or the beverage used quite often is stored and taken out through the opening 30, leakage of cold air caused by opening/closing the main door may be reduced.

In other words, the food and/or the beverage used quite often is stored and taken out and the leakage of cold air is minimized, because the opening 30 of the main door is opened/closed by the auxiliary door 50 in a state where the main door 20 is closed.

Also, an auxiliary storage part (not shown) is provided in the inner portion of auxiliary door 50 for storing the food used quite often.

The auxiliary storage part may include a basket provided within the opening.

The auxiliary door 50 may be called as home bar door, and the auxiliary door 50 according to the present invention is opened/closed by pushing a front thereof.

That is, once a user pushes the front surface of auxiliary door 50 in a state of the auxiliary door being closed, the auxiliary door 50 is opened.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, an embodiment according to the refrigerator of the present invention further includes a locking unit 100 for selectively locking the auxiliary door 50, such that the auxiliary door 50 may be opened/closed by pushing.

The locking unit 100 applies rotation force to the auxiliary door 50 to open the auxiliary door 50.

That is, when the front surface of auxiliary door 50 is pressed, the auxiliary door 50 is unlocked by the locking unit 100. Hence, the locking unit 100 pushes the auxiliary door 50 so as to automatically rotate and open the auxiliary door 50.

For the installment of auxiliary door 50, the main door 20 may include an auxiliary frame 40 defining a rim of the opening 30. Preferably, the auxiliary frame 40 has an appearance corresponding with the auxiliary door 50.

Moreover, the auxiliary door 50 is rotatably connected with the auxiliary frame 40, such that the auxiliary frame 40 supports the auxiliary door 50 rotatably.

More specifically, opposite lower portions of the auxiliary door 50 are rotatably coupled to opposite inner walls of the auxiliary frame 40.

For that, a rotation shaft 51 defining the center of auxiliary door rotation is provided in the opposite lower portion of the auxiliary door 50, and the rotation shaft 51 is connected with the both inner walls of auxiliary frame 40.

Thus, the auxiliary door 50 is rotatably coupled to the main door 20, more specifically, to the auxiliary frame 40 to open/close the opening 30.

Still further, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a damping unit 80 for dampening rotation speed of the auxiliary door 50 when the auxiliary door 50 is opened.

The damping unit 80 of the embodiment is provided in the auxiliary door 50, more specifically, in the rotation shaft 51 of the auxiliary door 50.

Also, a shaft fastening part 82 is formed on each opposite inner wall of the auxiliary frame 40 for allowing the rotation shaft 51 fastened thereto. The damping unit 80 may include an oil damper.

According to this embodiment, the rotation shaft of the damping unit 90 defines the rotation shaft 51 of the auxiliary door 50. The damping unit 80 is insertedly fastened to damping fastening recess 81 on the opposite lower portions of the auxiliary door 50, but it is not limited thereto.

The locking unit 100 selectively locks the auxiliary door 50 for making the opening 30 airtight.

The locking unit 100 includes an engaging member 110 and a locker 120 selectively engaged to the engaging member 110.

The engaging member 110 is provided in either of the main door 20 and the auxiliary door 50, and the locker 120 is provided in the other of the main door 20 and the auxiliary door 50.

The locker 120 applies elasticity to the auxiliary door 50 enough to open the auxiliary door 50 once the outer surface of auxiliary door 50 is pressed.

In other words, a user presses the front surface of auxiliary door 50 to open the auxiliary door 50. Hence, the locker 120 and the engaging member 110 are disengaged, and the locker 120 applies elasticity to the auxiliary door 50 to open the auxiliary door 50.

According to the embodiment, the engaging member 110 is provided in the auxiliary door 50, and the locker 120 is provided in the main door 20.

Here, the engaging member 110 is projected backwardly from the auxiliary door 50, and the locker 120 is provided in the auxiliary frame 40.

The engaging member 110 is provided in an upper center of the auxiliary door inner wall, and the locker 120 is provided in a center of an upper edge portion of the auxiliary frame 40, corresponding with the engaging member.

The engaging member 110 may include an engaging hole 111 or an engaging recess for allowing the locker 120 selectively engaged thereto.

According to this embodiment, the engaging member 110 includes an engaging hole 111 of a slot shape in a center thereof, but it is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the locker 120 includes a latch assembly 120a provided in the main door 20 and the latch assembly 120a is selectively engaged to the engaging member 110.

An insert recess 121 is formed in the locker 120 for allowing the engaging member 110 inserted thereto.

Also the latch assembly 120a is provided in the upper portion of auxiliary frame 40 for maintaining the state of the auxiliary door 50 being closed together with the engaging member 110.

The latch assembly 120a is inserted into a securing recess 41 formed on a front surface upper end of the auxiliary frame 40, and the securing recess 41 of a box shape is recessed inwardly from the front surface upper end of auxiliary frame 40.

The latch assembly 120a may be provided in various ways, for example, with an engaging hook for allowing the engaging member 110 engaged thereto.

That is, once the front surface of auxiliary door 50 is pressed to close the auxiliary door 50, an engaging hook is rotated in a direction and fixedly hooks the engaging member 110 inserted into the insert recess 121. Thereby, the auxiliary door 50 is locked.

Whereas, once the front surface of auxiliary door 50 is pressed in a state of the auxiliary door being closed, the engaging hook is rotated in another direction and is detached from the engaging member 110.

Also the engaging member 110 is elastically pushed by the latch assembly 120a, such that the auxiliary door 50 is opened.

Thus, the front surface of auxiliary door 50 is pressed to be closed, and re-pressed to be opened.

Referring to FIG. 5, a process for opening the auxiliary door of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described.

The auxiliary door 50 is opened through a first opening section (x) rotating the locking unit 100 by pushing force, a second opening section (y) rotating the auxiliary door 50 by its self weight, and a third opening section (z) dampening rotation speed by the damper unit 80.

More specifically, once a user presses the front surface of auxiliary door 50 in a state of the auxiliary door being closed, the engaging member 110 and the latch assembly 120a are disengaged. The engaging member 110 is pushed by the latch assembly 120a.

Hence, the auxiliary door 50 is rotated enough to be opened at a predetermined angle (α).

After that, the auxiliary door 50 is opened by its self weight enough to be opened at a predetermined angle (β).

Next, when the opening angle of auxiliary door 50 is β, the damping unit 80 is operated to dampen the opening speed of auxiliary door 50. Hence, the auxiliary door 50 is rotated at a low speed to be opened at a predetermined angle (γ).

Thus, the shock created by the main door 20 when the auxiliary door 50 is opened may be minimized.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, an inner structure of the latch assembly 120a according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

As shown in FIGS, 6A and 6B, the latch assembly 120a includes a rotatable coupling body 121a coupled to the engaging member 110 for locking the auxiliary door 50.

The rotatable coupling body 121a is restitutive to its original position and elastically pushes the engaging member 110 when the front surface is pressed to open the auxiliary door 50.

For that, the rotatable coupling body 121a is rotatably provided in a frame part of the latch assembly 120a, and includes a restitution device (not shown) for restituting the rotatable coupling body 121a to its original position.

The restitution device also includes a torsion spring (not shown) connected with the rotatable coupling body 121a.

The original position of rotatable coupling body 121a is a position in a state where the auxiliary door 50 is opened, that is, a position in a state where the rotatable coupling body is not coupled to the engaging member 110.

Hence, when the engaging member 110 is inserted through the insert recess 121 of locker with the auxiliary door 50 being closed, the rotatable coupling body 121a is rotated and coupled to the engaging member 110.

More specifically, as the rotatable coupling body 121a being rotated, some part of the rotatable coupling body 121a is inserted into the engaging hole 111 of engaging member 110.

Since the rotatable coupling body 121a is secured in a state of being coupled to the engaging member 110, the auxiliary door 50 is locked.

According to the embodiment, the rotatable coupling body 121a includes a coupling recess 122a recessed in a radial direction.

As shown in FIGS, 7A and 7B, the engaging member 110 is inserted into the coupling recess 122a of rotatable coupling body 121a and pushes a first side of the coupling recess 122a to rotate the rotatable coupling body 121a, with the auxiliary door 50 being closed.

Hence, a second side of the coupling recess 122a is rotated and inserted into the engaging hole 111 of engaging member 110, such that the engaging member 110 and the rotatable coupling body 121a are coupled each other. That is, a second side of the coupling recess 122a is employed for performing a function of an engaging hook.

By the way, the rotatable coupling body 121a rotated by the engaging member 110 is selectively secured by a stop member 123a.

For that, a stepped part 124a is formed in the rotatable coupling body 121a for allowing the stop member 123a engaged thereto.

Also, the stop member 123a is provided in the frame part 121b to be engaged to the stepped part 124a once the rotatable coupling body 121a is rotated at a predetermined angle, such that the rotatable coupling body 121a is secured.

As the rotatable coupling body 121a is rotated, a first guide surface 124b is provided in the rotatable coupling body 121a for guiding the stop member 123a to the stepped part 124a.

Also, if a relative position of the stop member 123a for the frame part 121b is a original position, the stop member 123a is supported by an elastic member 125a such as a spring for being restitutive to the original position.

Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, once a user presses the front surface of auxiliary door 50 to open the auxiliary door 50, the engaging member 110 pushes the rotatable coupling body 121a to be rotated further.

Hence, the stop member 123a is restitutive along a non-stepped surface after being detached from the stepped part 124a.

More, specifically, as the rotatable coupling body 121a is rotated further, the stop member 123a detached from the stepped part 124a reaches the non-stepped surface after sliding along a second guide surface 124c formed on the rotatable coupling body 121a.

Thus, the stop member 123a and the rotatable coupling body 121a are detached each other. Hence, once force applied to the front surface of auxiliary door 50 is removed, the rotatable coupling body 121a is restituted to the original position by the torsion spring and pushes the engaging member 110.

Accordingly, the auxiliary door 50 is opened by the elasticity of rotatable coupling body 121a.

An arrow of FIG. 9 indicates the relative movement of stop member 123a for the rotatable coupling body 121a.

The refrigerator according to the present invention has following advantageous effects.

First, the refrigerator according to the present invention has an effect of maximized convenience for usage, because the user can open/close the auxiliary door more conveniently.

Second, the refrigerator according to the present invention has another effect that the user can store and take out the food through the auxiliary door conveniently, because the user even when using both hands can open the auxiliary door.

Finally, the refrigerator according to the present invention has still another effect that the shock applied to the main door and/or the auxiliary door in opening the auxiliary door may be minimized, because the damping unit dampens the opening speed of auxiliary door.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main door with an opening, the main door opening/closing a storage chamber of a refrigerator body;

an auxiliary door rotatably coupled to the main door for opening/closing the opening, the auxiliary door opened/closed by pushing an outer surface thereof; and

a locking unit for selectively locking the auxiliary door to open/close the auxiliary door by pushing, the locking unit for applying rotation force to the auxiliary door to open the auxiliary door.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the locking unit comprises:

an engaging member provided in either of the auxiliary door and the main door; and

a locker provided in the other of the auxiliary door and the main door for being selectively engaged to the engaging member, the locker for applying elasticity to the auxiliary door to open the auxiliary door when external force is applied to the auxiliary door.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the engaging member is provided in the auxiliary door and the locker is provided in the main door, the locker comprising a latch assembly selectively engaged to the engaging member.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the engaging member comprises:

an engaging recess or an engaging hole selectively engaged to the latch assembly.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the latch assembly comprises:

a rotatable coupling body coupled to the engaging member for locking the auxiliary door, the rotatable coupling body restituted to an original position and elastically pushing the engaging member.

6. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the engaging member is provided in an upper portion of an inner wall of the auxiliary door and the locker is provided in an upper edge portion of the opening and a rotation shaft is provided in a lower portion of the auxiliary door, such that the auxiliary door is rotated with respect to the rotation shaft.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a damping unit for dampening the rotation speed of the auxiliary door when the auxiliary door is opened.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the damping unit is provided in any one of the main door and the rotation shaft of the auxiliary door.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary door is opened through a first opening section in which the auxiliary door is rotated by the pushing force of the locking unit, a second opening section in which the auxiliary door is rotated by self weight, and a third opening section in which the damping unit dampens the rotation speed of the auxiliary door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main door comprises an auxiliary frame for defining a rim of the opening and for allowing the auxiliary door coupled thereto.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the opening of the main door communicates an inside of the storage chamber with an outside.