DOOR APPARATUS OF REFRIGERATOR AND DAMPING APPARATUS OF THE SAME

• US 20100084955A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Chang-Bong
• Granted Patent: US 8,186,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/405
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/10 with piston brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/212 Buffers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/71 Secondary wings, e.g. pass doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

Disclosed are a door apparatus for a refrigerator and a damping apparatus for the same. The door apparatus for the refrigerator comprises: a main door for opening/closing the interior of a refrigerator, a sub-door for opening/closing the interior of the refrigerator through a portion of the main door, a sub-door frame disposed on the main door and supporting the sub-door, and a damper disposed at the sub-door frame to reduce an impact due to the pivotal movement of the sub-door. With a damping force required when the door is opened/closed and a more simplified structure of the door, a door design of higher tightness can be implemented.

Claims

1. A door apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising:

a main door for opening/closing an interior of a refrigerator;

a sub-door for opening/closing the interior of the refrigerator through a portion of the main door;

a sub-door frame disposed on the main door for supporting the sub-door; and

a damper disposed on the sub-door frame to reduce an impact due to a pivotal movement of the sub-door.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sub-door is pivotally mounted at the sub-door frame, and the damper is disposed on a pivotal path of the sub-door.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a damper pressurizing unit is disposed at the sub-door, and the damper is configured to reduce an impact caused by the pivotal movement of the sub-door while being pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit as the sub-door performs a pivotal movement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a damper mounting unit is disposed on the sub-door frame so as to install the damper thereon.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the damper is provided with an elastic member to provide resistance for resisting against the pivoting movement of the sub-door so as to reduce an impact by the pivoting movement of the sub-door.

6. A door apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising:

a main door for opening/closing an interior of a refrigerator;

a sub-door frame disposed on the main door;

a sub-door pivotally mounted at the sub-door frame for opening/closing the interior of the refrigerator through a portion of the main door; and

a damper disposed on a pivotal path of the sub-door to reduce an impact due to a pivotal movement of the sub-door.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sub-door is configured to pivot centering around a hinge shaft by being coupled to the sub-door frame by a hinge.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the damper is disposed on a circumference of a certain radius centering around the hinge shaft.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the damper is disposed on a tangential line of the circumference.

10. In a door apparatus for a refrigerator having a main door of a refrigerator, a sub-door disposed at the main door so as to open a portion of the main door, and a sub-door frame disposed on the main door, a damping apparatus for a refrigerator door, comprising:

a damper pressurizing unit disposed at the sub-door; and

a damper positioned at the sub-door frame and pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit as the sub-door performs a pivotal movement so as to reduce an impact according to the pivotal movement of the sub-door.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the damper pressurizing unit is disposed on a rear surface of the sub-door.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sub-door is pivoted centering around a hinge shaft by being coupled to the sub-door frame by a hinge, and the damper pressurizing unit is disposed below the sub-door centering around the hinge shaft.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if the sub-door is pivoted to open a portion of the main door, the damper pressurizing unit moves toward an inside of the main door.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the damper is pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit in a tangential direction on a circumference of a certain radius centering around the shaft of the hinge.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the damper is horizontally pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the damper includes a damper body, an elastic member disposed inside the damper body, and a pressurized member elastically supported by the elastic member and to be pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a head portion of the pressurized member contacting the damper pressurizing member is formed relatively larger than other portions thereof.

18. In a door apparatus for a refrigerator having a main door of a refrigerator, a sub-door frame formed on the main door, and a sub-door pivotally mounted at the sub-door frame, a damping apparatus for a refrigerator door, comprising:

a damper for reducing an impact according to a pivotal movement of the sub-door; and

a damper mounting unit disposed on the sub-door frame so as to install the damper thereon.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the damper mounting unit includes a damper insertion hole disposed in the sub-door frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the damper insertion hole is formed in a direction corresponding to a pivotal direction of the damper.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the damper insertion hole is horizontally disposed.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the damper mounting unit is disposed at a lower portion of the sub-door frame.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least two damper mounting units are disposed in locations corresponding to both sides of the sub-door frame.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the damper mounting unit includes a fixing member for fixing the damper to the sub-door frame.

25. A door apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising:

a main door for opening/closing an interior of a refrigerator;

a sub-door frame disposed on the main door and having a damper installing unit;

a sub-door pivotally mounted at the sub-door frame so as to open/close the interior of the refrigerator through a portion of the main door;

a damper pressurizing unit disposed at the sub-door; and

a damper disposed at the damper mounting unit on a pivotal path of the sub-door and pressurized by the damper pressurizing unit as the sub-door performs a pivotal movement so as to reduce an impact due to the pivotal movement of the sub-door.