Door cooling apparatus for refrigerator with double-acting door

• US 6,401,482 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sang Bae, Lee, Jae Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/929,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20020033028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 624/08, 624/13, 624/14, 312/405, 454/195
• US Class Current: 62/408
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/02 with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/045 Air flow control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/065 with compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/023 Air curtain closures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/062 along the inside of doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0664 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/04 Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/02 Geometry problems
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

A door cooling supply apparatus of a refrigerator with a double-acting door includes: a first cooling air separating duct and a second cooling air separating duct separated from a main cooling air duct; a door cooling air duct installed at the cooling compartment door to discharge cooling air from the cooling compartment door to the cooling compartment and connected to the first and the cooling air separating duct; a plurality of door opening sensing units for detecting an opening direction of the cooling compartment door; a controller for determining the opening direction of the cooling compartment door according to signals of the plurality of the door opening sensing units; and a cooling air switching unit installed at an area where the main cooling air duct is separated into the first cooling air separating duct and the second cooling air separating duct and selectively opening one of the first and the second cooling air separating duct controlled by the controller.

Claims

1. A door cooling air supply apparatus of a refrigerator with a double-acting door and a main cooling air duct, comprising:

a first cooling air separating duct and a second cooling air separating duct separated from the main cooling air duct and disposed at respective opposite sides thereof;

a door cooling air duct installed at the cooling compartment door to discharge cooling air from the cooling compartment door to the cooling compartment and connected to the first and the second cooling air separating ducts; and

a cooling air switching unit installed between the main cooling air duct and the first and second cooling air separating ducts and selectively communicating one of the first and the second cooling air separating ducts with the main cooling air duct.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door cooling air supply apparatus further comprises:

a plurality of door opening sensing units for detecting an opening direction of the cooling compartment door; and

a controller for determining the opening direction of the cooling compartment door according to signals of the plurality of the door opening sensing units; and

the cooling air switching unit is controlled by the controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cooling air switching unit comprises:

a driving motor controlled by the controller; and

a shielding plate driven by the driving motor, for selectively opening an end of one of the first cooling air separating duct and the second cooling air separating duct.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein end openings of the first and the second cooling air separating ducts are disposed perpendicular to the main cooling air duct of the cooling compartment and the shielding plate is formed by two plates forming predetermined angle therebetween and connected to a rotational shaft driven by the driving motor, so that an end one of the first and the second cooling air separating ducts is selectively opened according to a ratation of the shielding plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the door opening sensing unit includes a first door opening sensing switch and a second door opening sensing switch respectively installed at a left and a right side of an upper connecting portion of the cooling compartment, to sense an opening direction of the cooling compartment door.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and the second cooling air separating ducts pass via a left wall and a right wall of the cooling compartment.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein in the case that the cooling compartment door is opened rightward, the cooling air switching unit opens the first cooling air separating duct so that cooling air can flow to the first cooling air separating duct, while, in case that the cooling compartment door is opened leftward, the cooling air switching unit opens the second cooling air separating duct so that cooling air can flow to the second cooling air separating duct.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second cooling air separating ducts pass via respective side walls of the cooling compartment.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door cooling air duct includes a first flow passage and a second flow passage which are separately divided therein, and the first flow passage communicates with the first cooling air separating duct and the second flow passage communicates with the second cooling air separating duct.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling air switching unit comprises:

a control handle having a rotational shaft; and

a shielding plate connected to the rotational shaft for selectively opening one of the first cooling air separating duct and the second cooling air separating duct according to the rotation of the control handle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control handle is installed outside the main cooling air duct, the rotational shaft of the control handle penetrates the main cooling air duct, ends of the first and the second cooling air separating ducts and are disposed perpendicular to the main cooling air duct of the cooling compartment, the shielding plate is formed by two plates forming a constant mutual angle and connected to the rotational shaft, so that one the first cooling air separating duct or the second cooling air separating duct is selectively opened according to the rotation of the shielding plate.

12. A door cooling air supply apparatus of a refrigerator with a double-acting freezing compartment door and a main cooling air duct in a freezing compartment thereof, comprising:

a first cooling air separating duct and a second cooling air separating duct separated from the main cooling air duct of the freezing compartment; and

a door cooling air duct installed at the freezing compartment door to discharge cooling air from the freezing compartment door to the freezing compartment, and connected to the first and the second cooling air separating ducts; and

a cooling air switching unit installed at an area where the main cooling air duct is separated into the first cooling air separating duct and the second cooling air separating duct, and selectively opening one of the first cooling air separating duct and the second cooling air separating duct.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the door cooling air supply apparatus further comprises:

a plurality of door opening sensing units for detecting an opening direction of the freezing compartment door; and

a controller for determining the opening direction of the freezing compartment door according to signals of the plurality of the door opening sensing units; and

the cooling air switching unit is controlled by the controller.