Movable refrigerator

• US 8,931,301 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Namgi, Park, Sungil
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANENBAUM, TZVI SAMUEL
• Application Number:
  US13/580,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 623/78, 622/97, 624/571, 74/29, 744/05
• US Class Current: 62/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/32 Removal, transportation or shipping of refrigerating devices from one location to another
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/38 Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19614 Disconnecting means

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a movable refrigerator including a main body travel driving unit configured to automatically rotate the wheel to move the main body and a main body travel switching unit configured to turn on or off the main body travel driving unit to automatically or manually move the main body. Accordingly, the user may suitably select and use automatic operation and manual operation according to the user'"'"'s healthy condition, the environment of the used place, or the need of use, thereby greatly enhancing the use convenience of a movable refrigerator.

Claims

1. A movable refrigerator, comprising:

a main body having a storage space therein and provided with a wheel at a lower portion thereof;

a cooling apparatus provided within the main body to cool the storage space;

a shelf provided in the storage space to accommodate foods;

a main body travel driving unit configured to automatically rotate the wheel to move the main body; and

a main body travel switching unit configured to turn on or off the main body travel driving unit to automatically or manually move the main body,

wherein the main body travel driving unit comprises;

a motor box;

a travel motor accommodated into the motor box and configured to generate a rotational force;

a driving shaft connected to a rotating shaft of the travel motor and configured to transmit the rotational force of the travel motor, wherein an end of the driving shaft is exposed outside from the motor box;

a motor-side joint provided at the end of the driving shaft; and

a wheel-side joint provided at a central shaft of the wheel and formed to be joined to the motor-side joint,

wherein the main body travel switching unit comprises;

a manipulation unit configured to receive a type of an operation from a user;

a switching motor electrically connected to the manipulation unit to generate power; and

a power transmission unit connected to the switching motor, wherein the power transmission unit comprises;

a carrier combined with the motor box and having a hole formed with a female screw portion; and

a transmission shaft connected to a rotating shaft of the switching motor and penetrating the hole of the carrier, wherein a male screw portion is formed at an outer circumference of the transmission shaft and screw-combined with the female screw portion of the hole,

wherein the motor box is configured to be movable in response to a movement of the carrier, such that the motor-side joint is moved in a direction to be attached or detached to or from the wheel-side joint, and

wherein the wheel receives the rotational force of the travel motor while the motor-side joint is attached to the wheel-side joint.

2. The movable refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a plurality of reduction gears are provided between a rotating shaft of the travel motor and a driving shaft thereof to transmit a rotational force of the travel motor to the driving shaft.

3. The movable refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the motor-side joint and wheel-side joint are formed in an axial direction to be attached or detached to/from each other.

4. The movable refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the plurality of reduction gears are accommodated into the motor box.

5. The movable refrigerator of claim 1, wherein at least one handle is provided on the main body.

6. The movable refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main body travel driving unit further comprises:

a position sensor having a transmission unit and a receiving unit, the transmission unit and the receiving unit provided at the motor-side joint and the wheel-side joint, respectively,

wherein the position sensor is configured to control a rotation of the travel motor so as to allow the motor-side joint and the wheel-side joint to be faced each other.

7. The movable refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the travel motor is configured to:

start to rotate while the motor-side joint is attached to the wheel-side joint, and

stop rotating while the motor-side joint is detached from the wheel-side joint.