REFRIGERATOR

• US 20100307188A1
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: YU, Seon IL, CHANG, Yong Hun, HWANG, Jung Yeon, KWON, Hong Sik
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/441
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/00 General constructional features F25D21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/025 Secondary closures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

A refrigerator is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a cabinet configured to define an exterior boundary of the refrigerator. The refrigerator also includes a first storage chamber defined by interior walls of the cabinet and configured to store food stuffs. The refrigerator further includes a first door configured to open and close the first storage chamber by rotating about a rotational axis. In addition, the refrigerator includes a second storage chamber that is smaller than the first storage chamber defined at a side of the first door, and that is configured to enable access to food stuffs while the first door remains closed and a second door, located in a predetermined portion of the first door, configured to open and close the second storage chamber by rotating the rotational axis, wherein a rotation direction of the second door is identical to the rotation direction of the first door.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an exterior boundary of the refrigerator with at least one opening therein;

a first storage chamber defined by interior walls of the cabinet and configured to store food stuffs;

a first door configured to open and close the first storage chamber by rotating about a rotational axis;

a second storage chamber that is smaller than the first storage chamber defined at a side of the first door, and that is configured to enable access to food stuffs while the first door remains closed; and

a second door, located in a predetermined portion of the first door, configured to open and close the second storage chamber by rotating the rotational axis, wherein a rotation direction of the second door is identical to the rotation direction of the first door.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotational shaft coupled to the first door and the second door to establish the rotational axis.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the rotational shaft comprises an upper rotational shaft that is coupled to the first door and the second door.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a first rotational shaft coupled to the first door; and

a second rotational shaft coupled to the second door, wherein the first rotational shaft and the second rotational shaft establish the rotational axis.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising:

a first connection member configured to connect the rotational shaft to the cabinet.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5, further comprising:

a second connection member configured to connect the rotational shaft to the first door.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a securing part stepped toward the cabinet and configure to secure the second door.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a freezer chamber located below the first storage chamber; and

a third door configured to open and close the freezer chamber.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second storage chamber comprises a home bar.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first door comprises a recess configured to be used as a door handle.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second door comprises:

a recess configured to be used as a door handle.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a width of the second door is substantially identical to a width of the first door.

13. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an exterior boundary of the refrigerator with at least one opening therein;

a first storage chamber defined by interior walls of the cabinet and configured to store food stuffs;

a first door configured to open and close the first storage chamber by rotating about a first rotational axis;

a second storage chamber that is smaller than the first storage chamber defined at a side of the first door, and that is configured to enable access to food stuffs while the first door remains closed; and

a second door, located in a predetermined portion of the first door, configured to open and close the second storage chamber by rotating a second rotational axis, wherein a rotation direction of the second door is identical to the rotation direction of the first door, and the first rotational axis is parallel to the second rotational axis.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising:

a first rotational shaft coupled to the first door and configured to establish the first rotational axis; and

a second rotational shaft coupled to the second door and configured to establish the second rotational axis.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14, further comprising:

a connection member configured to connect the first rotational shaft to the cabinet.

16. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein a width of the second door is substantially identical to a width of the first door.

17. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are substantially same.

18. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an exterior boundary of the refrigerator with at least one opening therein;

a first storage chamber defined by interior walls of the cabinet and configured to store food stuffs;

a first door configured to open and close the first storage chamber by rotating about a rotational axis;

a second storage chamber that is smaller than the first storage chamber defined at a side of the first door, and that is configured to enable access to food stuffs while the first door remains closed;

a second door, located in a predetermined portion of the first door, configured to open and close the second storage chamber by rotating the rotational axis or substantially same rotational axis of the first door, wherein a rotation direction of the second door is identical to the rotation direction of the first door.

a first connection member is configured to connect the first door to the cabinet; and

a second connection member is connected to the second door to the first door.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the second connection member comprises a hinge.

20. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an exterior boundary of the refrigerator with at least one opening therein;

a first storage chamber defined by interior walls of the cabinet and configured to store food stuffs;

a first door configured to open and close the first storage chamber by rotating about a plurality of first rotational axes;

a second storage chamber that is smaller than the first storage chamber defined at a side of the first door, and that is configured to enable access to food stuffs while the first door remains closed; and

a second door, located in a predetermined portion of the first door, configured to open and close the second storage chamber by rotating a plurality second rotational axes, wherein the first door and second door have at least one identical rotational axis.

21. The refrigerator of claim 20, wherein the plurality of rotational axis comprises;

a first rotational axis positioned at a left side of the first door and second door; and

a second rotational axis positioned at a right side of the first door and the second door.

22. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the first rotational axis configured to open and close the first door and the second door at a identical direction.

23. The refrigerator of claim 20, wherein the second door comprises:

a recess configured to be used as a door handle and configured to open the second door in more than one rotation directions.