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EP-4737827-A2 - REFRIGERATOR

EP4737827A2EP 4737827 A2EP4737827 A2EP 4737827A2EP-4737827-A2

Abstract

Refrigerator including a refrigerator door including a first door (15) opening and closing a storage chamber of a cabinet (10) and a second door (16) opening and closing an opening of the first door (15). A door opening device (100, 200) is installed inside the second door (16). The door opening device (100, 200) includes a pusher (130, 230) applying pushing force to the first door (15) by receiving a driving force from a driving unit (110), and a rotary wheel (139) mounted on one side of the pusher (130, 230) to be contactable with the first door (15). The pusher (130, 230) can apply pushing force to the first door (15) in a state where the rotary wheel (139) is in contact with the first door (15). The second door (16) can be open by a reactive force against an applying pushing force of the pusher (130, 230). Accordingly, the rotary wheel (139) can suppress wear between the first door (15) and the pusher (130, 230) of the door opening device (100, 200).

Inventors

  • GWON, Seongwon
  • CHANG, Jinho

Assignees

  • LG Electronics Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251031

Claims (15)

  1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having a storage chamber (10); a first door (15) rotatably mounted on the cabinet (10) to open and close the storage chamber, and having an opening (15a); a second door (16) rotatably mounted on the first door (15) to open and close the opening (15a); and a door opening device (100, 200) installed inside the second door (16) and configured to automatically open the second door (16), characterized in that the door opening device (100, 200) comprises: a case (101); a driving unit (110) installed inside the case (101); a pusher (130, 230) connected to the driving unit (110) and applying pushing force the first door (15) by receiving a driving force from the driving unit (110); and a rotary wheel (139) mounted on one side of the pusher (130, 230) to be contactable with the first door (15), and the pusher (130, 230) applies pushing force the first door (15) through the rotary wheel (139) while in contact with the first door (15), and the second door (16) is open by a reactive force of the first door (15) against an applying pushing force of the pusher (130, 230).
  2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the rotary wheel (139) is formed in one or a combined shape of at least two of a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, and a circular shape, and a center of the rotary wheel (139) is rotatably supported on one side of the pusher (130, 230) by a central shaft, and an outer circumferential surface of the rotary wheel (139) is in rolling-contact with the first door (15) according to the rotation of the pusher (130, 230).
  3. The refrigerator of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second door (16) and the first door (15) are arranged in a front-rear direction of the cabinet (10), and the door opening device (100, 200) further comprises: a first rack (120) extending in a left-right direction and installed inside the case (101) to be linearly movable in the left-right direction by receiving the driving force of the driving unit (110); and a second rack (127, 227) connected to the first rack (120) and mounted to be linearly movable in the left-right direction together with the first rack (120).
  4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the pusher (130) comprises: a first link (131) hinge-coupled to the second rack (127, 227) by a first coupling pin (133), and linearly moving and rotating simultaneously according to the movement of the second rack (127, 227); and a second link (132) hinge-coupled to one end of the first link (131) via a second coupling pin (134) and rotating around a third coupling pin (137) in an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the first link (131), and the rotary wheel (139) is rotatably mounted on one end of the second link (132) toward an opposite direction to the third coupling pin (137) based on the second coupling pin (134).
  5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the second link (132) comprises a link accommodating portion (1323) accommodating a portion of the first link (131), and another end of the first link (131) is accommodated in the link accommodating portion (1323) and hinge-coupled to the second link (132) by the second coupling pin (134).
  6. The refrigerator of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the driving unit (110) comprises a motor, and further comprises a driving force transmission unit (112) configured to transmit the driving force of the driving unit (110) to the first rack (120), the driving force transmission unit (112) comprises: a driving gear (113) connected to the driving unit (110); and a driven gear (114) engaged with the driving gear (113) at a preset gear ratio, and the first rack (120) comprises a rack gear (122) engaged with the driven gear (114).
  7. The refrigerator of any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first rack (120) comprises: a first contact protrusion (1241); and a second contact protrusion (1242) spaced apart from the first contact protrusion (1241) in the left-right direction, and the second rack (127, 227) comprises: a body (128) extending in the left-right direction; and an operating protrusion (129, 229) protruding toward the first rack (120) from one side of the body (128) and arranged between the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242) to be selectively in contact with one of the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242) according to a change in position of the first rack (120), such that the second rack (127, 227) moves in one direction when the operating protrusion (129, 229) and the first contact protrusion (1241) are brought into contact, and moves in an opposite direction to the one direction when the operating protrusion (129, 229) and the second contact protrusion (1242) are brought into contact.
  8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the first rack (120) further comprises a connection protrusion (1243) extending in the left-right direction between the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242), to connect the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242), and the operating protrusion (129, 229) comprises: a first part (1291, 2291) extending in the front-rear direction and arranged between the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242) to be selectively in contact with one of the first contact protrusion (1241) and the second contact protrusion (1242); and a second part (1292, 2292) extending from one end of the first part (1291, 2291) in the left-right direction.
  9. The refrigerator of any of claims 3 to 8, further comprising a locking device (22) arranged inside the second door (16) to lock or unlock the first door (15) and the second door (16), wherein the locking device (22) comprises: a latch bar (222) extending in an up-down direction and mounted to be rotatable around a hinge pin (222) in the front-rear direction; a latch (224) protruding from a lower end of the latch bar (222) toward the first door (15); a latch hook (2241) protruding upward from the latch to be caught on an engaging portion (24) arranged on the first door (15); and an operating unit (221) protruding from the lower end of the latch bar (222) toward outside of the second door (16), so as to be operated by a user.
  10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the door opening device (100, 200) comprises: a cam (123) arranged on one end of the first rack (120), and configured to transmit a driving force of the first rack (120) to the locking device (22) to unlock the locking device (22) when the second door (16) is open, the cam (123) comprises: a first contact surface (1231) formed inside the case (101) to be inclined in a direction away from the locking device (22) with respect to the front-rear direction; and a second contact surface (1232) spaced apart from the first contact surface (1231) in the left-right direction, and the locking device (22) comprises: a rotary bar having one end coupled to an upper end of the latch bar (222), and another end extending toward the first contact surface (1231) in the left-right direction to be in contact with the first contact surface (1231), when the cam (123) moves toward the rotary bar (125), the rotary bar (125) rotates toward the first door (15) along the first contact surface (1231), so that the locking device (22) is unlocked, and the other end of the rotary bar (125) has a spherical or hemispherical shape.
  11. The refrigerator of any of claims 1 to 3 and 6 to 10, wherein the pusher (230) comprises: a first link (231) installed inside the case (101) to be rotatable around the first key (233); and a second link (232) hinge-coupled to one end of the first link (231) via the second key (234), and mounted to be rotatable around the third key (235) in an opposite direction to the first link (231), and the rotary wheel (139) is rotatably mounted on one end of the second link (232) in an opposite direction to the third key (235) based on the second key (234).
  12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein one of the first key (233) to the third key (235) comprises: a shaft portion serving as a rotational shaft of the first link (231) or the second link (232); and a plurality of support portions protruding radially outward from one end of the shaft portion, and rotatably supporting the first link (231) or the second link (232), a key accommodating portion is formed on the first link (231) or the second link (232), and the key accommodating portion comprises: a shaft hole formed through the first link (231) or the second link (232) in the up-down direction to accommodate the shaft portion; and a support hole recessed radially outward in the shaft hole such that the support portion passes therethrough.
  13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the key accommodating portion comprises: a support portion accommodating portion formed on one side of the shaft hole and the support hole based on an axial direction of the shaft portion, so that the support portion is rotatable while being accommodated therein.
  14. The refrigerator of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the door opening device (100, 200) comprises: a first rack (120) mounted to be linearly movable in both directions by receiving the driving force from the driving unit (110); and a second rack (127, 227) connected to the first rack (120) to be linearly movable in the both directions together with the first rack (120), and one end of the first link (231) is hinge-coupled to the second rack (227) by the first key (233), and is rotatable while linearly moving together with the second rack (227).
  15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the first key (233) comprises: a first shaft portion (2331) extending from one side of the second rack (227) and serving as a rotational shaft of the first link (231); and a first support portion (2332) protruding radially outward from one end of the first shaft portion (2331) to rotatably support the first link (231), a first key accommodating portion (236) is arranged on one end of the first link (231), the first key accommodating portion (236) comprises: a first shaft hole (2362) formed therethrough in the up-down direction to accommodate the first shaft portion (2331); and a first support hole (2363) recessed radially outward on the first shaft hole (2362), so that the first support portion (2332) passes therethrough, the second key (234) comprises: a second shaft portion (2341) protruding from one side of the second link (232) and coupled through the first link (231) to be rotatable relative to the first link (231); and a second support portion (2342) protruding radially outward from one end of the second shaft portion (2341) to rotatably support the first link (231), a second key accommodating portion (237) is arranged on another end of the first link (231), the second key accommodating portion (237) comprises: a second shaft hole (2372) formed therethrough in the up-down direction to accommodate the second shaft portion (2341); and a second support hole (2373) recessed radially outward on the second shaft hole (2372) so that the second support portion (2342) passes therethrough, the door opening device (200) further comprises a link support portion 239 installed inside the case (101), the third key (235) comprises: a third shaft portion (2351) protruding from the link support portion (239) and serving as a rotational shaft of the second link (232); and a third support portion (2352) protruding radially outward from one end of the third shaft portion (2351) to rotatably support the second link (132, 232), a third key accommodating portion (238) is arranged on another end of the second link (132, 232), and the third key accommodating portion (238) comprises: a third shaft hole (2382) formed therethrough in the up-down direction to accommodate the third shaft portion (2351); and a third support hole (2383) recessed radially outward on the third shaft hole (2382) so that the third support portion (2352) passes therethrough.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field The disclosure relates to a refrigerator. 2. Description of the Related Art Typically, a refrigerator may include a cabinet having a storage chamber and a door which opens and closes the storage chamber. The storage chamber is surrounded by insulation walls, and thus the inside of the storage chamber is kept at a lower temperature than the temperature of the outside. Depending on a temperature range of the storage chamber, the storage chamber may be classified as a refrigerating chamber or a freezing chamber. To put an object into or take it out of the storage chamber, a user opens the door. Typically, the door is rotatably arranged on the cabinet, and a gasket is positioned between the door and the cabinet. Therefore, when the door is closed, the gasket seals between the door and the cabinet, suppressing cool air from leaking from the storage chamber. As the sealing force of the gasket increases, the effect of suppressing cool air leakage can increase. To increase the sealing force of the gasket, the gasket may be implemented as a rubber magnet, and a magnet may be arranged inside the gasket. However, as the sealing force of the gasket increases, a greater force is required to open the door. Therefore, recently, refrigerators with an automatic door opening function have been provided. A refrigerator is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0119027, as a prior art document. The refrigerator of the prior art document includes a cabinet having at least one storage chamber inside, a door arranged on one side of the cabinet to open and close the storage chamber, and a door opening device moving the door to open the storage chamber by a driving force of a motor. For example, the door may include an inner door which is arranged in close contact with a front surface of the cabinet, and an outer door which is arranged on a front surface of the inner door. The door opening device is positioned on the cabinet, and opens the inner door by pushing the inner door. However, in the case of the prior art document, when the inner door is open, the outer door is open together with the inner door, so there is a disadvantage in that the outer door cannot be open automatically. Furthermore, in the case of the prior art document, the door opening device is arranged on the cabinet. When the outer door is to be open using the door opening device, there is a disadvantage in that the length of the door opening device increases and the structure becomes complicated to push the outer door without interfering with the inner door. SUMMARY An aspect of the disclosure is to provide a refrigerator with a structure which is capable of solving those problems and other drawbacks. A first aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of automatically opening a second door, which is located outside in a door-in-door structure including a first door and the second door. A second aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of opening a second door automatically or manually. A third aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of maintaining a coupled state between a first door and a second door when the first door is open. A fourth aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of automatically opening a second door (outer door) without interfering with a first door (inner door). A fifth aspect is to provide a refrigerator with a structure which is capable of automatically opening a second door in a contact manner. A sixth aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of suppressing scratches and wear of a second door caused by friction with a contact surface of a first door when the second door is automatically open. A seventh aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of simplifying a structure of a door opening device. An eighth aspect is to provide a refrigerator having a structure which is capable of securing an installation space for other components by efficiently utilizing an inner space of a second door. As a result of an intensive research, the inventors of the disclosure can achieve the first to eighth aspects by the following embodiment of the disclosure. To achieve those aspects, a refrigerator according to an embodiment includes a cabinet, a first door, a second door, and a door opening device. The cabinet has a storage chamber. The first door is rotatably mounted on the cabinet to open and close the storage chamber, and has an opening. The second door is rotatably mounted on the first door to open and close the opening. The door opening device is installed inside the second door and configured to automatically open the second door. The door opening device may include a case, a driving unit installed inside the case, a pusher connected to the driving unit and applying pushing force the first door by receiving a driving force from the driving