Refrigerator

• US 10,302,351 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Daejin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rohroff, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US15/764,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20190056168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/00 Suspension arrangements for wings arrangements of wings not characterised by the construction of the supporting means E06B3/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/027 with closing action
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/24 of springs and brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/02 with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/021 Sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/069 Cooling space dividing partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/021 French doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/04 Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/005 using containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/024 Slidable shelves

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a structure of a receptacle apparatus, which enables efficient utilization of a space for storing an object to be refrigerated or an object to be frozen, and a door or a cover which is for opening or closing the receptacle apparatus. Provided is a refrigerator, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising: a first storage chamber provided above a cabinet; a second storage chamber positioned below the first storage chamber; a partition wall which is for partitioning the first storage chamber and second storage chamber vertically and of which the upper surface maintains a level position; an accommodation unit recessed downward from the upper side of the partition wall, forming a receptacle space and having an input port, into which an object to be stored is input, formed on the upper part thereof; an accommodation unit door provided so as to be movable in the direction parallel to the upper side of the partition wall and for selectively opening or closing the input port; and a position fixing unit provided on the rear of the accommodation unit door and for restraining the movement of the door when the accommodation unit door moves backward and opens the input port.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first storage compartment;

a second storage compartment;

a partition wall provided between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, and the partition wall having a surface;

a receiving space formed in the surface of the partition wall, the receiving space including an introduction port, which is constituted by an opening, to allow objects to be introduced into the receiving space through the opening;

a receiver door configured to be moved in a direction parallel to the surface of the partition wall, to an open position, to allow access to the opening; and

a latch to maintain the receiver door in the open position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the surface of the partition wall being an upper surface, and wherein the receiving space is provided at a front side of the upper surface, and an anteroposterior length of the receiver door is greater than an anteroposterior length of the opening such that the receiver door covers an entire anteroposterior length of the opening.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiver door is configured to be slidably moved anteroposteriorly along the upper surface of the partition wall, and an anteroposterior length of the receiver door is smaller than an anteroposterior length of the first storage compartment.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a receiving unit is provided at a rear side of the opening.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the receiver door is configured to be moved rearwards through a gap between the upper surface of the partition wall and the receiving unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the latch comprises:

a coupling body secured to the receiver door; and

a coupling protrusion provided at the coupling body; and

a coupling retainer provided at the partition wall, so that the coupling retainer is removably coupled to the coupling body through engagement with the coupling protrusion;

or

a coupling protrusion provided at the partition wall; and

a coupling retainer provided at the coupling body so that the coupling protrusion is removably coupled to the coupling body through engagement with the coupling retainer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the coupling retainer is configured to be repeatedly engaged with the coupling protrusion and released from the coupling protrusion when external force is applied to the coupling retainer.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the latch is provided at a center of the receiver door in a lateral direction, and the latch provided at least in part behind the receiver door.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the latch further comprises:

a roller rotatably secured to the coupling body; and

a roller-receiving groove provided in the partition wall behind the receiving space in a direction parallel to a direction of movement of the receiver door so as to receive the roller and to guide movement of the roller.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one closer for guiding movement of the receiver door, each closer including an elastic spring for providing restoring force to the receiver door when the receiver door is moved to open the opening.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one closer includes closers provided at opposite lateral ends of the receiver door.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising guides provided between the closers, the guides including a respective guide provided at the opposite lateral ends of the receiver door so as to guide anteroposterior movement of the door.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a support wall projecting upwards from an upper surface of the partition wall, the support wall extending anteroposteriorly so as to be parallel to a direction of movement of the receiver door; and

a roller rotatably provided on the receiver door so as to roll along the support wall.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, each elastic-spring having a first end and a second end;

wherein each of the closers comprises;

a support provided parallel to a direction of movement of the receiver door and secured to the first end of the elastic spring; and

a slider movable along the support and coupled to the receiver door, the slider being secured to the second end of the elastic spring.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the closers or includes a speed controller for reducing a moving speed of the receiver door when the receiver door is moved to close the opening, the speed controller comprising:

a cylinder secured to the support;

a piston provided in the cylinder, the piston having a piston first end and a piston second end, and the piston second end connected to the slider; and

a head secured to the piston first end, and the head provided in the cylinder.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the closers comprises:

a support secured to the partition wall and secured to a first end of the elastic spring;

a transfer space provided in the support so as to be parallel to a direction of movement of the receiver door;

a first slider movable in the transfer space; and

a second slider removably connected to the first slider, the second slider connected to the receiver door, and the second slider being coupled to a second end of the elastic spring.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the closers includes a speed controller for reducing a moving speed of the receiver door when the receiver door is moved close the receiving space, the speed controller comprising:

a cylinder secured to the support;

a piston having a piston first end and a piston second end, the piston provided in the cylinder and the piston second end coupled to the first slider; and

a head secured to the piston first end and provided in the cylinder,

wherein the second slider is moved in a state of being secured to the first slider when the first slider is moved in a predetermined moving range of the first end of the elastic-spring, and is separated from the first slider when the first slider is moved beyond the predetermined moving range.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a first stopper and a second stopper, which are provided on the first slider so as to define a space for receiving the second slider;

a first support and a second support, which are provided in the transfer space so as to define a moving path of the first slider; and

a height controller configured to lower the first stopper, which is positioned in a direction, relative to the second stopper, in which the second slider is separated from the first slider, to a position lower than the first support and the second support when the piston second end reaches a reference point, which is set be a point in the predetermined moving range.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the height controller comprises:

a first projection, which projects from the first slider so as to cause the first slider to be supported by the first support;

a second projection, which projects from the first slider so as to cause the first slider to be supported by the second support;

a first receiving groove provided at a position lower than the first support so as to receive the first projection therein;

a second receiving groove provided at a position lower than the second support so as to receive the second projection therein;

a first sloped portion inclined downwards toward the first receiving groove from the first support so as to cause the first projection to be positioned in the first receiving groove when the piston second end reaches the reference point; and

a second sloped portion inclined downwards toward the second receiving groove from the second support so as to cause the second projection to be positioned in the second receiving groove when the piston second end reaches the reference point.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a first storage compartment;

a second storage compartment;

a partition wall provided between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, and the partition wall having a surface;

a receiving space formed in the surface of the partition wall, the receiving space including an introduction port, which is constituted by an opening, to allow objects to be introduced into the receiving space through the opening;

a receiver door configured to be moved in a direction parallel to the surface of the partition wall, to an open position to allow access to the opening;

a pair of closers, which are respectively provided at lateral side ends of the partition wall so as to guide movement of the receiver door, the pair of closers being configured to provide restoring force when the receiver door is opened and to reduce a moving speed of the receiver door, and the restoring force exerting force to move the receiver door closed; and

a guide provided between the pair of closers so as to guide movement of the receiver door.