KR101580447B1 - Auto door closing apparatus of refrigerator and refrigerator having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator in which a drawer part automatically closes a storage room of a refrigerator and a moving distance of a drawer part for automatic closing is short, and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device. This is made possible by disposing the automatic door closing device on the front side of the drawer portion. Accordingly, even if the user moves the drawer part a little, the automatic door closing device operates, and the space for arranging the sliding device for sliding the drawer part is secured, so that the sliding device can easily support the load of the drawer part. A damper device is provided on the lower side of the automatic door closing device so that the closing operation of the drawer part by the automatic door closing device is not abruptly performed. The damper device is provided so as to adjust the timing of the buffering action by adjusting the length of the damper rod.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic door closing apparatus for a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing apparatus, and more particularly to an automatic door closing apparatus for a refrigerator that automatically closes a drawer of a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the same.

Generally, a refrigerator is a device for storing food in a frozen or refrigerated state by using cold air generated by a refrigeration cycle. A door for opening and closing the inside of the main body is mounted on the refrigerator.

The door is divided into a rotary door and a drawer-type door. When the door is opened, the drawer-type door is integrally formed with the storage container, so that the storage container is advanced to the outside of the main body so that the user can easily take out the storage article inside the storage container.

The drawer type door is provided with a sliding device, and the drawer type door is moved using the sliding device.

Such a drawer door causes the user to pull the drawer door back and push it back to its original position. However, when the user does not fully push the drawer door, the door is incompletely closed.

In order to solve the problem of incomplete closing of the drawer type door, an automatic closing device is provided on the rear side of the sliding device, which forces the drawer type door to close completely by applying force when the drawer type door is almost closed.

However, such an automatic closing apparatus has a problem that the operation distance of the automatic closing apparatus is short because the user must move the drawer type door until the drawer type door is almost closed.

In addition, the drawer type door is suddenly moved at a high speed and closed by the automatic closing device, causing the refrigerator to be damaged or impacted.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator that enables a drawer to automatically close a storage room of a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device.

The present invention also provides an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator having a short moving distance of a drawer portion for causing an automatic door closing device to close a storage room, and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator that can support a load of a drawer portion and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator which enables a drawer to be closed at a constant speed, and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic door closing device for a refrigerator which can prevent the impact or damage of the refrigerator when the drawer section is automatically closed, and a refrigerator including the automatic door closing device.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a main body, a storage chamber provided in the main body, a drawer portion provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage chamber, Wherein the drawer unit includes a door that opens and closes the storage compartment, a support member that is formed on a rear surface of the door and supports the drawer unit, and a support member that supports the drawer unit, Wherein the automatic door closing device is disposed on a side of a front side of the drawer part so that the moving distance of the drawer part for causing the automatic door closing device to close the storage room is shortened do. And a drawer unit provided in the drawer unit for moving the drawer unit to close the drawer unit to the drawer unit. The automatic door closing unit includes: a main body; The automatic door closing device includes a case, a slider provided to be able to move relative to the case, and a slider provided on one side of the slider so as to be rotatable And a resilient member provided between the case and the slider to provide an elastic force, wherein the rotator is disposed between the case and the case to allow the slider to move relative to the case, And the slider is moved in cooperation with the engaging member And releasing the restraint from the restricting member.

The storage chamber may further include a latching member which is hooked on the inner wall of the automatic door closing device to cause an automatic closing operation of the drawer portion, and the latching member may be disposed in the front half of the storage chamber. In addition, the rotator includes an engaging groove formed to engage with the engaging member.

The automatic door closing apparatus includes a case, a slider linearly moving in the case, a rotator rotatably coupled to one side of the slider, a rotator rotating at a predetermined position on the case, and an elastic member connecting the slider and the case .

The case may include guide rails for guiding the slider and the rotator to move along a constant orbit. The case includes a guide rail for guiding the rotator to move along a predetermined orbit, and the rotator includes a protrusion inserted into the guide rail and guided in a predetermined orbit.

The guide rail may include a straight line formed in a straight line and a latching portion formed at an end of the straight line so that the rotator can be rotated. The guiding rail includes a straight line formed in a straight line and an engagement part provided at an end of the straight line to allow the rotation of the rotator. When the protrusion of the rotator is positioned on a straight line of the guide rail, And the slider is restrained from the case, and when the protrusion of the rotator is located at the engagement portion of the guide rail, the slider is constrained to the case.

The rotator may include an engaging groove formed to engage with the engaging member. Further, as the user provides the force, the elastic member is pulled by the relative movement of the case and the slider to open the drawer portion. On the contrary, as the elastic member contracts, Is closed.

The case may include a guide hole formed in a moving path of the rotator so that the engaging member can engage with the engaging groove.

When the drawer is pulled out, the protrusion of the rotator is caught by the latching portion of the guide rail. When the protrusion of the rotator moves away from the latching portion and reaches the straight line, the drawer portion is closed by the elastic force of the elastic member can do.

When the projection of the rotator is located at the engagement portion of the guide rail, the engagement member is separated from the engagement groove, and the engagement of the engagement member with the engagement groove causes the projection of the rotator to move away from the engagement portion, The engaging member can be maintained in the engaged state with the engaging groove.

Wherein the sliding device comprises a first rail part fixed to an inner surface of the storage compartment, a second rail part relatively movable with respect to the first rail part, and a second rail part fixed to a side surface of the support part, And a third rail portion provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to a part thereof.

The engaging member may be provided on a lower side of a rail guide portion which surrounds and fixes the first rail portion.

The automatic door closing device of the refrigerator may further include a door for automatically opening and closing the storage compartment of the refrigerator, wherein the drawer includes a door for opening and closing the front opening of the storage compartment, The automatic door closing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a support member formed on a rear surface of the drawer unit to support the drawer unit; and a storage container mounted on the support member, And is disposed on a side of a front portion of the drawer portion so as to perform an operation of closing the storage chamber. The automatic door closing device includes a main body, a storage compartment provided in the main body, a drawer part capable of entering and exiting the storage compartment, an automatic door closing device moving the drawer part in a direction of entering the storage compartment, Wherein the latching member is positioned proximate to an inlet thereof with respect to an intermediate point of the storage chamber and the latching member is operable to move the automatic door closing device at the beginning of the process of closing the drawer portion .

The storage chamber may further include a latching member which is hooked on the inner wall of the automatic door closing device to cause an automatic closing operation of the drawer portion, and the latching member may be disposed in the front half of the storage chamber. In addition, the latching member is installed on the inner wall of the storage chamber, and the automatic door closing device is installed outside the drawer portion to interfere with the latching member.

The automatic door closing apparatus includes a case, a slider linearly moving in the case, a rotator rotatably coupled to one side of the slider, a rotator rotating at a predetermined position on the case, and an elastic member connecting the slider and the case .

The case may include guide rails for guiding the slider and the rotator to move along a constant orbit.

The guide rail may include a straight line formed in a straight line and a latching portion formed at an end of the straight line so that the rotator can be rotated.

The rotator may include an engaging groove formed to engage with the engaging member.

The case may include a guide hole formed in a moving path of the rotator so that the engaging member can engage with the engaging groove.

In addition, the refrigerator includes a main body, a storage chamber provided in the main body, a drawer portion provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage chamber, and a drawer portion which closes the storage chamber when the drawer portion reaches a certain point in / The drawer unit includes a door that opens and closes the storage compartment, a support member that is formed on a rear surface of the door and supports the drawer unit, and a storage container that is seated on the support member. And a sliding device disposed on a side surface of the support member, wherein the storage chamber includes a latching member which is hooked on the inner wall of the automatic door closing device to cause an automatic closing operation of the drawer portion, Independently of the sliding device, so as to ensure the arrangement space of the device, It characterized in that disposed on the first part side. The drawer unit is disposed between the storage unit and the drawer unit to slide the drawer unit. The drawer unit is coupled to the drawer unit and the drawer unit, Wherein the automatic door closing device is provided in the drawer part, wherein the automatic door closing device is provided in the drawer part, and the automatic door closing device is provided in the drawer part, And the engaging member is located away from the motion path of the sliding device.

The latching member may be disposed in the front half of the storage compartment such that the moving distance of the drawer part for causing the automatic door closing device to close the storage compartment is shortened. In addition, the latching member is installed near the inlet of the storage chamber with respect to the intermediate point of the storage chamber.

In addition, the refrigerator includes a main body, a storage chamber provided in the main body, a drawer portion provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage chamber, and a drawer portion which closes the storage chamber when the drawer portion reaches a certain point in / And a damper device for preventing sudden movement of the drawer part, wherein the drawer part comprises: a door for opening and closing the storage room; and a drawer part formed on the back surface of the door, Wherein the automatic door closing device is provided with a support member for supporting the automatic door closing device and a storage container which is seated on the supporting member so that the moving distance of the drawer part for causing the automatic door closing device to close the storage compartment is shortened, And the damper device is disposed on the lower side of the automatic door closing device Characterized in that the arrangement. The drawer unit can be moved in a direction to enter the storage room, and the door can be prevented from being suddenly moved by the drawer unit. And the damper device operates simultaneously with the automatic door closing device or operates with a predetermined time difference.

And a damping protrusion provided on an inner wall of the storage chamber for preventing rapid movement of the drawer portion by interacting with the damper device. And a damping protrusion provided on a side surface of the storage compartment to operate the damper device, wherein each of the latching member and the damping protrusion is provided with a latch And is located close to the inlet with respect to an intermediate point of the storage chamber.

Wherein the storage chamber further includes a latching member which is hooked on the inner wall of the storage compartment to cause the automatic closing operation of the drawer unit, the latching member being disposed in a front half of the storage chamber, And can be integrally formed with the latching member. A first operation-induced distance for moving the automatic door closing device to be operated by the latching member and a second operation-induced distance for moving the damper device until the damper device is operated by the damping protrusion are set, The operation inducing distance and the second operation inducing distance may be set the same or the first operation inducing distance may be set to be smaller than the second operation inducing distance.

The damper device includes a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device, a damper main body disposed inside the damper case to buffer an external force, and a damper main body connected to one side of the damper main body, And may include a damper rod in contact therewith.

The automatic door closing apparatus includes a case, a slider linearly moving in the case, a rotator rotatably coupled to one side of the slider, a rotator rotating at a predetermined position on the case, and an elastic member connecting the slider and the case .

The damper rod includes a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1 so as to be in contact with the damping protrusion from the beginning of the closing of the storage chamber due to the elastic force of the elastic member, And a second damper rod having a length d2 shorter than the first damper rod so as to be in contact with the damping protrusion from a later stage of closing the damper protrusion. In addition, when the first operation-induced distance and the second operation-induced distance are set to be the same, the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1, Is set to be smaller than the second operation induced distance, the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a second damper rod having a relatively short length (d2).

The damper main body may include at least one of gas, oil, and air therein for buffering.

The automatic door closing device of the refrigerator may further include a door for automatically opening and closing the storage compartment of the refrigerator, wherein the drawer includes a door for opening and closing the front opening of the storage compartment, The automatic door closing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a support member formed on a rear surface of the drawer unit to support the drawer unit; and a storage container mounted on the support member, And a damper device disposed on a side of a front side of the drawer so as to close the storage compartment and to prevent a shock or damage of the drawer when the drawer is closed. And a damper device for preventing the drawer from being impacted or damaged by suddenly bumping into the storage compartment, wherein the damper device is provided in the storage compartment, Wherein the damper device moves a predetermined operation trigger distance until the damper device is operated by the damping protrusion, wherein the damper device has a relatively long length d1 A second damper rod having a relatively short length d2 such that the operation-induced distance is long; Or the like.

Wherein the storage chamber further includes a latching member which is hooked on the inner wall of the storage compartment to cause the automatic closing operation of the drawer unit, the latching member being disposed in a front half of the storage chamber, And can be integrally formed with the latching member.

The damper device includes a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device, a damper main body disposed inside the damper case to buffer an external force, and a damper main body connected to one side of the damper main body, And may include a damper rod in contact therewith.

The automatic door closing apparatus includes a case, a slider linearly moving in the case, a rotator rotatably coupled to one side of the slider, a rotator rotating at a predetermined position on the case, and an elastic member connecting the slider and the case .

The damper rod includes a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1 so as to be in contact with the damping protrusion from the beginning of the closing of the storage chamber due to the elastic force of the elastic member, And a second damper rod having a length d2 shorter than the first damper rod so as to be in contact with the damping protrusion from a later stage of closing the damper protrusion. In addition, when the first operation-induced distance and the second operation-induced distance are set to be the same, the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1, Is set to be smaller than the second operation induced distance, the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a second damper rod having a relatively short length (d2).

The damper main body may include at least one of gas, oil, and air therein for buffering.

In addition, the refrigerator includes a main body, a storage chamber provided in the main body, a drawer portion provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage chamber, and a drawer portion which closes the storage chamber when the drawer portion reaches a certain point in / And a damper device for relieving the shock of closing the storage compartment by the automatic door closing device, wherein the drawer part comprises a door for opening and closing the storage compartment, And a sliding device disposed on a side surface of the support member, wherein the storage chamber is hooked on the inner wall of the automatic door closing device, An engaging member for causing an automatic closing operation of the drawer portion; Characterized in that the automatic door closing device is disposed on the side of the drawer part independently from the sliding device and the damper device is disposed on the lower side of the automatic door closing device do. And a damper device for preventing the drawer from being impacted or damaged by suddenly bumping into the storage compartment, wherein the damper device is provided in the storage compartment, Wherein the damper device moves a predetermined operation trigger distance until the damper device is operated by the damping protrusion, wherein the damper device has a relatively long length d1 A second damper rod having a relatively short length d2 such that the operation-induced distance is long; Or the like.

The latching member may be disposed in the front half of the storage compartment such that the moving distance of the drawer part for causing the automatic door closing device to close the storage compartment is shortened. The automatic door closing device may further include a sliding door that slides the drawer in a direction toward the storage compartment, and a latch member provided in the storage compartment to operate the automatic door locking device so that the drawer is automatically closed. When the damper device includes the first damper rod, the automatic closing device operates simultaneously with the automatic closing device. When the damper device includes the second damper rod, the automatic closing device operates with a predetermined time difference after the automatic closing device operates. .

The automatic door closing device and the refrigerator including the automatic door closing device according to the present invention described above can automatically open and close the drawer part automatically when the drawer part is not pushed in completely The storage room is closed.

In addition, even if the distance of the drawer portion into the storage room is short, the automatic door closing device closes the storage room, thereby improving user convenience.

Further, since the automatic door closing device is disposed outside the supporting member, a space for arranging the sliding device is ensured.

Further, even if the load of the drawer portion is large, it can be readily supported.

Also, due to the damper device, the drawer portion is closed at a constant speed without a sudden change in speed.

Further, the drawer portion is closed at a constant speed, so that the shock or damage of the refrigerator can be prevented.

1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an external perspective view of the drawer portion and the automatic door closing device.
3 is a side view showing a state in which the drawer is closed in the second storage chamber;
4 is a side view showing a state in which the drawer portion is opened in the second storage chamber;
5 is a perspective view showing the internal construction of the automatic door closing device.
6 is a perspective view showing a first rail portion mounted inside the second storage chamber.
7A, 7B, 10A, and 10B illustrate an operation of the automatic door closing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is an external perspective view of a drawer, an automatic door closing device, and a damper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a side view showing a state in which the drawer unit is mounted in the second storage chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of an automatic door closing device and a damper according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a first rail part mounted in a second storage room according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
FIGS. 15A, 15B, 18A, and 18B illustrate operation of the automatic door closing device and the damper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 19A, 19B, 22A and 22B are diagrams illustrating an operation procedure of an automatic door closing device and a damper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1, the refrigerator 1 includes a main body 10 having first and second storage compartments 12 and 13 which are vertically partitioned by a heat insulating partition 11, And a drawer unit 20 provided on the front surface of the second storage compartment 13 and opening and closing the second storage compartment 13. The first storage compartment door 14a and the second storage compartment door 14b are provided in the second storage compartment 13 to open and close the first storage compartment 12,

It is natural that components such as a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), an inflator (not shown) and an evaporator (not shown) are provided for the refrigerator in the same manner as a general refrigerator.

The first storage chamber 12 may be a refrigerating chamber, and the second storage chamber 13 may be a freezer chamber, and each storage chamber may be used as a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment.

1 is a so-called French type refrigerator, which is a kind of BMF (BOTTOM MOUNTED FREEZER) refrigerator in which a second storage compartment 13 is set as a freezing compartment and a first storage compartment 12 is set as a refrigerator compartment. 13 are provided to accommodate a relatively wide storage such as a pizza.

A shelf 15 for storing food or the like to be refrigerated is provided in the first storage chamber 12 at a predetermined interval and a second storage chamber 13 is slidably installed in the upper region A storage basket 16 is provided.

The first storage chamber 12 is provided with a pair of first storage chamber doors 14a and 14b rotatable in the left and right direction.

Hereinafter, the drawer unit 20 and the automatic door closing apparatus 100 will be described in detail.

3 is a side view showing a state in which the drawer is closed in the second storage chamber, FIG. 4 is a side view showing the drawer in the second storage chamber, and FIG. 5 is a side view showing the drawer in the second storage chamber. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a first rail portion mounted inside the second storage chamber. FIG.

2 and 4, the drawer unit 20 includes a door 21 for opening and closing the second storage chamber 13, a door 21 formed on the rear surface of the door 21 for supporting the drawer unit 20, A storage container 23 for storing food and a sliding device 30 for enabling the sliding opening / closing of the drawer section 20. [

The drawer unit 20 is provided in the form of a drawer-type door which is slidably opened and closed.

The supporting member 22 protrudes from the rear surface of the door 21 and functions as a frame supporting the entire drawer unit 20. [

The storage container 23 is seated on the support member 22 and stores food. When the drawer unit 20 is opened, the storage container 23 is drawn out forward so that the user can easily store the food or the like in the storage container 23 or take out food or the like from the storage container 23.

The sliding device 30 is disposed on both sides of the support member 22 and includes a first rail portion 31 fixed to the side surface of the second storage chamber 13 and a second rail portion 32 rotatable relative to the first rail portion 31 And a third rail 33 fixed to the side surface of the support member 22 and provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the second rail portion 32, . ≪ / RTI >

It is needless to say that the three-stage rail-shaped sliding device 30 is intended to increase the maximum opening width of the drawer portion 20, and it is also possible to adopt a two-stage rail-shaped sliding device.

A rail guide portion 180 is provided on the inner wall of the second storage chamber 13 to surround and fix the first rail portion 31. The rail guide part 180 fixes the first rail part 31 to the second storage room 13 and plays a role of facilitating the sliding operation of the sliding device 30. [

An engaging member 190 is formed on the lower side of the rail guide portion 180 to cause a closing action of the drawer portion 20 to be caught by the automatic door closing device 100. The engaging member 190 is a rotator 130).

A bearing (not shown) is provided between each of the rails 31, 32 and 33 of the sliding device 30 so that the drawer 20 formed in a drawer can be easily drawn out.

The drawer unit 20 is provided with a drawer unit 20 so that the drawer unit 20 closes the second storage room 13 when the drawer unit 20 reaches a certain point in the process of entering and exiting the second storage room 13, An automatic door closing device 100 for moving the door 20 is disposed.

That is, the automatic door closing apparatus 100 is disposed below the front half of the support member 22, and the automatic door closing apparatus 100 is disposed below the front side of the drawer unit 20 for causing the automatic door closing apparatus 100 to close the second storage room 13 So that the moving distance is shortened.

The automatic door closing device is provided on the rear side of the sliding device so that the closing operation of the automatic door closing device starts only when the drawer part is almost closed. However, in an embodiment of the present invention, The drawer unit 20 can be separated from the second storage chamber 13 independently of the first storage chamber 13 and arranged at the same time in the first half of the drawer unit 20, The closing operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 is performed to improve user convenience.

The automatic door closing apparatus 100 is disposed at the front half of the lower portion of the support member 22, but may also be disposed at the upper half of the support member 22.

The automatic door closing device 100 does not invade the installation space of the sliding device 30 on the supporting member 22 so that the sliding device 30 can be moved over the entirety of the supporting member 22 in the drawing- So that the load of the entire drawer unit 20 can be evenly supported.

That is, the drawer unit 20 includes the door 21, the storage container 23, and the support member 22, and the weight thereof is considerably heavy. When food or the like is contained in the storage container 23, Loses. The load of the drawer unit 20 is supported by the sliding device 30 and the automatic door closing device 100 is disposed below the supporting device 22 separately from the sliding device 30 so that the sliding device 30 ) In the longitudinal direction was sufficiently secured.

The latching member 190 which is caught by the automatic door closing device 100 to cause the automatic closing operation of the drawer portion 20 is also disposed in the first half of the second storage chamber 13. [

The moving distance of the drawer portion 20 for causing the automatic door closing device 100 to close the second storage chamber 13 is shortened as the engaging member 190 is disposed closer to the inlet side of the second storage chamber 13 The elastic coefficient of the elastic member 140 to be described later and the pushing force of the user pushing the drawer portion 20 must be correspondingly increased so that the arrangement position of the latching member 190 can be adjusted in the second storage chamber 13 ).

5 and 6, the automatic door closing apparatus 100 includes a case 110 forming an external appearance, a slider 120 linearly moving in the case 110, And a resilient member 140 connecting the slider 120 and the case 110 to each other.

The case 110 is directly fixed to the lower side of the support member 22 and accommodates the slider 120, the rotator 130, and the elastic member 140.

The case 110 includes a guide rail 112 for guiding the slider 120 and the rotator 130 to move along a constant orbit. The guide rail 112 includes a straight line 113 formed in a straight line and a latching part 114 formed at an end of the straight line 112 so that the rotator 130 can be rotated and engaged.

A guide hole 117 is formed in the case 110 in parallel with the guide rail 112. The guide hole 117 is provided to engage the engaging member 190 formed on the lower side of the first rail part 31 with the engaging groove 135 of the rotator 130.

The slider 120 moves on the straight line 113 of the guide rail 112 and changes its position by the elastic force of the elastic member 140 and the force that the user pushes or pulls the drawer portion 20. [

The rotator 130 is rotatably coupled to one side of the slider 120 by the engaging pin 125. When the rotator 130 moves on the straight path 113 but does not rotate and is caught by the engaging part 114, Enters the engaging portion 114 and the entire rotator 130 rotates. An engaging groove 135 is formed on the upper side of the rotator 130 so that the engaging member 190 can be engaged with the engaging member 190. That is, when the drawer unit 20 opens or closes the second storage chamber 13, the engaging member 190 on the inner wall of the second storage chamber 13 is inserted into the engaging groove (not shown) of the rotator 130 through the guide hole 117 135 and the slider 120 and the rotator 130 are moved on the guide rails 112 relatively.
One side of the elastic member 140 may be fixed to the case 110 and the other side thereof may be fixed to the slider 120.
The elastic member 140 may be disposed between the case 110 and the slider 120 to provide an elastic force such that the case 100 and the slider 120 can move relative to each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the elastic member 140 can maintain the retracted state when the drawer unit 20 is closed. 3, when the user pulls the drawer portion 20 by applying force, the elastic member 140 can be pulled by the relative movement of the case 110 and the slider 120. [ When the user pushes the drawer unit 20 with a force, the case 100 and the slider 120 move relative to each other due to the contractive force of the elastic member 140 and the drawer unit 20 is automatically closed .

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Hereinafter, an operation of the automatic door closing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 7A to 7B to FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate an operation of the automatic door closing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The internal structure of the automatic door closing device 100 in the state where the user pulls the drawer part 20 forward and opens the second storage room 13 is as shown in Figs. 7A to 7B. That is, the rotator 130 is in a state in which the rotator projection 137 enters the engaging portion 114 of the guide rail 112 and is rotated. At this time, the drawer portion 20 is pulled out to the maximum, and the elastic member 140 is also fully stretched. The rotator 130 slides the slider 130 in the case (not shown) so that the slider 120 and the case 110 can not move relative to each other. 110).
Further, the engaging member 190 and the engaging groove 138 of the rotator 130 are separated from each other. That is, the automatic door closing device 100 and the engaging member 190 are spaced apart from each other by the first operation trigger distance S1. Here, the first operation inducing distance S1 is a distance at which the automatic door closing apparatus 100 moves until it is operated by the latching member 190.

8A and 8B, when the user pushes the drawer portion 20 in the "X" direction, the drawer portion 20 is pushed into the second storage chamber 13, The engaging member 190 and the engaging groove 135 of the rotator 130 are engaged with each other as the engaging member 190 moves together with the engaging member 20. At the same time, the rotator 130 moves out of the engaging portion 114. That is, as the rotator 130 rotates, the protrusion 137 of the rotator 130 moves away from the engaging portion 114, and the slider 120 is released from the case 110 to release the slider 120 from the case 110, Is in a state in which relative motion is possible.

9A and 9B when the rotator 130 reaches the straight line 113 after completely disengaging the engaging portion 114. At this time, since the elastic member 140 is in a relaxed state, it tries to shrink itself. The engaging member 190 and the engaging groove 135 are still engaged with each other so that the elastic force of the elastic member 140 pulls the entire drawer portion 20 into the second storage chamber 13. During this process, the user does not need to exert any effort to close the drawer portion 20.

The shrinkage of the elastic member 140 causes the rotator 130 and the slider 120 to move on the straight line 113 and eventually the drawer portion 20 completely closes the second storage chamber 13 10a, 10b). That is, the drawer unit 20 is automatically closed even if the user does not apply the force to the drawer unit 20 from the point where the rotator 130 moves out of the holding unit 114.

In the above description, a process is performed in which the user applies force to the open drawer unit 20 and automatically closes when the drawer unit 20 reaches a certain point, and the process of opening the opened drawer unit 20 Can be reversed. That is, when the user pulls the drawer unit 20 by applying a force, the drawer unit 20 is opened while proceeding from the state of FIGS. 10A and 10B to the state of FIGS. 9A, 9B, 8A, 8B and 7A and 7B do.

Although the case where the automatic door closing device 100 is provided on the drawer portion 20 side and the engaging member 190 is provided on the inner side of the second storage chamber 13 has been described in the above embodiment, The same can be applied.

That is, the automatic door closing device 100 and the locking member 190 are arranged so that the locking member 190 is provided below the support member 22 of the drawer portion 20 and the automatic door closing device 100 The automatic closing operation of the drawer unit 20 can be performed in the same manner as described above even in the case of being provided inside the second storage chamber 13.

Hereinafter, the drawer unit 20, the automatic door closing apparatus 100, and the damper apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The description of the same portions as those of the embodiment of the present invention described above is omitted.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a state in which the drawer unit is mounted in the second storage chamber, FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the automatic door closing device and the damper, FIG. And Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a first rail portion mounted inside the second storage chamber.

11 to 14, the drawer unit 20 includes a door 21, a support member 22, a storage container 23, and a sliding device 30, And a damper device 200 for preventing movement.

The damper device 200 is disposed below the case 110 of the automatic door closing device 100 and is coupled with the damping protrusion 195 provided on the inner wall of the storage compartment 13 so that the drawer part 20 is connected to the storage compartment 13 ) Of the shock absorber.

The damper device 200 includes a damper case 210 directly coupled to the case 110 of the automatic door closing device 100, a damper main body 220 disposed inside the damper case 210 and buffering external force, And a dam 230 connected to one side of the damper main body 220 and contacting the damping protrusion 195 according to the movement of the drawer 20.

The damper case 210 forms an outer appearance of the damper device 200 and is directly coupled to the case 110 of the automatic door closing device 100 and accommodates the damper main body 220 therein.

The damper main body 220 is accommodated in the damper case 210 to substantially buffer the external force. The internal space of the damper main body 220 is filled with at least one of gas, oil and air so as to buffer the external force. The piston moves to the filled space, .

A damper rod 230 is formed on one side of the damper main body 220. The damper rod 230 is connected to the piston in the damper main body 220 and moves together with the damper main body 220. The damper rod 230 contacts the damping protrusion 195 and impacts when the drawer portion 20 closes the storage chamber 13, ).

14, a locking member 190 is protruded below the rail guide portion 180. The damper rod 230 of the damper device 200 is connected to the lower side of the locking member 190, Damping protrusions 195 are formed. The damping protrusion 195 is formed integrally with the engaging member 190 below the engaging member 190 and disposed at a spatial position capable of mutual contact with the damper rod 230.

Hereinafter, the operation of the automatic door closing apparatus 100 and the damper apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 15A, 15B, 18A, and 18B illustrate operation of the automatic door closing device and the damper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The internal structure of the automatic door closing apparatus 100 is as shown in Figs. 15A and 15B in a state where the user pulls the drawer unit 20 forward and opens the second storage chamber 13. Fig. That is, the rotator 130 is in a state in which the rotator projection 137 enters the engaging portion 114 of the guide rail 112 and is rotated. At this time, the drawer portion 20 is pulled out to the maximum, and the elastic member 140 is also fully stretched. The rotator 130 slides the slider 130 in the case (not shown) so that the slider 120 and the case 110 can not move relative to each other. 110).
Further, the engaging member 190 and the engaging groove 138 of the rotator 130 are separated from each other. That is, the automatic door closing device 100 and the engaging member 190 are spaced apart from each other by the first operation trigger distance S1. Here, the first operation inducing distance S1 is a distance at which the automatic door closing apparatus 100 moves until it is operated by the latching member 190.

The damper rod 230 of the damper device 200 is protruded to the right side of the damper case 210 due to the pressure inside the damper main body 220 and the damping protrusion 195 has a first operation induced distance S1 ). The damper rod 230 is provided with a first damper rod 232 having a relatively long length d1 so as to be in contact with the damping protrusion 195 from the beginning when the storage chamber 13 is closed by the elastic force of the elastic member 140 )to be. Therefore, since the first operation-induced distance S1 of the automatic door closing device 100 and the damper device 120 is the same, the operation can also occur at the same time.

16A and 16B, when the user pushes the drawer portion 20 in the "Y" direction, the drawer portion 20 is pushed into the second storage chamber 13, The engaging member 190 and the engaging groove 135 of the rotator 130 are engaged with each other as the engaging member 190 moves together with the engaging member 20. At the same time, the rotator 130 moves out of the engaging portion 114, and the damper rod 230 comes into close contact with the damping protrusion 195.

17A and 17B when the rotator 130 reaches the straight line 113 after completely disengaging the engaging portion 114. At this time, since the elastic member 140 is in a stretched state, the self- The damper device 200 tries to draw the whole of the drawer 20 to the inside of the second storage room 13 and buffers the damper device 200 against the contractive force of the elastic member 140 so that the drawer part 20 is closed gradually. During this process, the user does not need to exert any effort to close the drawer portion 20.

The rotator 130 and the slider 120 move on the straight line 113 due to the contractive force of the elastic member 140 and the buffering action of the damper device 200. Eventually, (Fig. 18A and Fig. 18B). That is, from the point where the rotator 130 moves out of the locking part 114, the drawer part 20 is gradually closed automatically even if the user does not apply the force to the drawer part 20.

In the above description, the user applies a force to the open drawer unit 20, and the drawer unit 20 automatically closes when the drawer unit 20 reaches a certain point. In the case of opening the drawer unit 20 in the closed state, The process is reversed. That is, when the user pulls the drawer unit 20 by applying a force, the drawer unit 20 is opened from the state shown in Figs. 18A and 18B while following the procedure of Figs. 17A, 17B, 16A, 16B, 15A and 15B do.

The remaining portions are the same as those of the embodiment of the present invention described above.

Hereinafter, an automatic door closing apparatus 100 and a damper apparatus 300 according to still another embodiment of the present invention will be described, and the operation of the automatic door closing apparatus 100 and the damper apparatus 300 will be described. The description of the same portions as those of the embodiment of the present invention described above and the other embodiments is omitted.

FIGS. 19A, 19B, 22A and 22B are diagrams illustrating an operation procedure of an automatic door closing device and a damper device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

19A and 19B, the damper device 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the damper case 310, the damper main body 320 And a damper rod 330, as shown in Fig.

The damper rod 230 of the damper device 200 is protruded to the right side of the damper case 210 due to the pressure inside the damper case 220 and is spaced apart from the damping protrusion 195, 15a to 15b to 18a and 18b so as to come into contact with the damping protrusion 195 from the latter period when the storage chamber 13 is closed by the elastic force of the elastic member 140. In other words, The second damper rod 332 has a length d2 that is shorter than the first damper rod 232 of the first damper rod 232. [

The second damper rod 332 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shorter than the first damper rod 232 so that the distance between the second damper rod 332 and the damping protrusion 195 is shorter than the distance It is farther than the case. Specifically, the second damper rod 332 is spaced apart from the damping projection 195 by a second operation induced distance S2. Therefore, the time for the damper device 300 to start the damping action against the contractile force of the elastic member 140 is later than that in the case of Figs. 15A, 15B to 18A, 18B. In this case, the damper device 300 can operate with a time difference from the automatic door closing device 100. The damper device 300 is operated by the latching member 190 after the automatic door closing device 100 moves the first operation trigger distance S1 and after the damper device 300 moves the second operation trigger distance S And is operated by the damping protrusion 195. The automatic door closing device 100 and the damper device 300 are operated in the predetermined direction because the first operation trigger distance S1 of the automatic door closing device 100 is shorter than the second operation trigger distance S2 of the damper device 300. [ It can happen sequentially with time difference.

When the user pushes the drawer unit 20 in the "Z" direction in the state of FIGS. 19A and 19B in which the drawer unit 20 is pulled and the second storage room 13 is opened, The member 190 and the engaging groove 135 of the rotator 130 are engaged with each other while the rotator 130 moves away from the engaging portion 114.

20A and 20B, the second damper rod 332 is spaced apart from the damping protrusion 195, so that the damper device 300 does not buffer the shrinking force of the elastic member 140. [ 16A and 16B, in which the rotator 130 moves out of the latching portion 114, the first damper rod 232 almost comes into contact with the damping protrusion 195, and the buffering action of the damper device 200 Lt; / RTI >

The second damper rod 332 starts the damping action while contacting the damping protrusion 195 in the state as shown in Figs. 21A and 21B in which the rotator 130 is completely removed from the stopper 114 and reaches the straight line 113 . Until the state of FIGS. 22A and 22B in which the drawer unit 20 completely closes the second storage chamber 13, the damper device 300 is buffered against the contractive force of the elastic member 140.

As described above, the damper device 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include the elastic member 140 later than the damper device 200 according to the embodiment of FIGS. 15A, 15B, 18A, and 18B, The buffering action against the contractile force of

That is, from the moment the closing operation of the second storage compartment 13 of the drawer unit 20 by the automatic door closing apparatus 100 is started, the speed and the shock that the drawer unit 20 is closed using the damper apparatus 200 are alleviated The damper device 200 of FIGS. 15A and 15B to FIGS. 18A and 18B may be used and after the closing operation of the second storage compartment 13 of the drawer part 20 by the automatic door closing device 100 proceeds to some extent The damper device 300 of FIGS. 19A, 19B, 22A, and 22B may be used to alleviate the speed and impact of closing the drawer portion 20 using the damper device 300.

The foregoing has shown and described specific embodiments. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the technical idea of the present invention described in the following claims .

1: Refrigerator 10: Body
20: drawer part 21: door
22: support member 23: storage container
30: Sliding device 100: Automatic door closing device
110: Case 112: Guide rail
113: straight line 114:
120: slider 130: rotator
135: latching groove 140: elastic member
190: latching member 200, 300: damper device
210, 310: damper case 220, 320: damper case
230, 330: damper rod

Claims (35)

And
A storage room provided in the main body;
A drawer unit provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage room;
An automatic door closing device provided in the drawer part to move the drawer part so that the drawer part closes to the storage room;
And an engaging member provided in the storage room for operating the automatic door locking device,
A rotator provided rotatably on one side of the slider and restraining or restraining the slider from being coupled to the case; And an elastic member provided between the slider and the elastic member to provide an elastic force. And
And a damper device for preventing abrupt movement of the drawer part,
The rotator interlocks with the engaging member so as to allow relative movement between the slider and the case to release the slider from the case,
A damping protrusion for operating the damper device is provided on a side surface of the storage chamber,
A first operation inducing distance for moving the automatic door closing device until the automatic door closing device is operated by the engaging member and a second operation inducing distance for moving the damper device until the damper device is operated by the damping projection, The distance and the second operation inducing distance are set the same or the first operation inducing distance is set smaller than the second operation inducing distance. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the rotator includes an engaging groove formed to engage with the engaging member. 3. The method of claim 2,
The case includes a guide rail for guiding the rotator to move along a constant orbit,
Wherein the rotator includes protrusions inserted into the guide rails and guided in a predetermined orbit. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the guide rail includes a straight line formed by a straight line and a latching portion provided at an end of the straight line for rotating the rotator,
The slider is restrained from the case when the protrusion of the rotator is located on the straight line of the guide rail and the slider is restrained to the case when the protrusion of the rotator is located at the latching portion of the guide rail Refrigerator. The method according to claim 1,
As the user provides the force, the elastic member is pulled by the relative movement of the case and the slider to open the drawer portion. On the contrary, as the elastic member contracts, the drawer portion is closed by the relative movement of the case and the slider . 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the case includes a guide hole formed in a movement path of the rotator so that the engaging member engages with the engaging groove. 5. The method of claim 4,
When the drawer is pulled out, the protrusion of the rotator is caught by the latching portion of the guide rail. When the protrusion of the rotator moves away from the latching portion and reaches the straight line, the drawer portion is closed by the elastic force of the elastic member . 5. The method of claim 4,
When the projection of the rotator is located at the engagement portion of the guide rail, the engagement member is separated from the engagement groove, and the engagement of the engagement member with the engagement groove causes the projection of the rotator to move away from the engagement portion, Wherein the engaging member is engaged with the engaging groove when the engaging member is positioned on the straight line. delete delete And
A storage room provided in the main body;
A drawer unit provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage room;
An automatic door closing device for moving the drawer part in a direction to enter the storage room;
An engaging member provided in the storage room to operate the automatic door locking device; And
And a damper device for preventing abrupt movement of the drawer part,
Wherein the latching member is positioned close to an inlet thereof with respect to an intermediate point of the storage chamber,
Wherein the latching member operates the automatic door closing device at the beginning of the process of closing the drawer portion,
A damping protrusion for operating the damper device is provided on a side surface of the storage chamber and a first operation triggering distance for moving the automatic door closing device until the automatic door closing device is operated by the latching member and a damping protrusion for operating the damper device by the damping protrusion Wherein the first operation-induced distance and the second operation-induced distance are set to be the same or the first operation-induced distance is set to be smaller than the second operation-induced distance, The refrigerator. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the latching member is installed on an inner wall of the storage chamber and the automatic door closing device is installed outside the drawer portion to interfere with the latching member. And
A storage room provided in the main body;
A drawer unit provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage room;
A sliding device provided between the storage room and the drawer part to slide the drawer part;
An automatic door closing device for sliding the drawer part in a direction of entering the storage room;
An engaging member provided in the storage room for operating the automatic door locking device such that the drawer is automatically closed; And
And a damper device for preventing abrupt movement of the drawer part,
Wherein the automatic door closing device is provided in the drawer portion and is located out of the movement path of the sliding device,
The engaging member is also located away from the motion path of the sliding device,
A damping protrusion for operating the damper device is provided on a side surface of the storage chamber and a first operation triggering distance for moving the automatic door closing device until the automatic door closing device is operated by the latching member and a damping protrusion for operating the damper device by the damping protrusion Wherein the first operation-induced distance and the second operation-induced distance are set to be the same or the first operation-induced distance is set to be smaller than the second operation-induced distance, The refrigerator. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the latching member is installed close to an inlet of the storage chamber with respect to an intermediate point of the storage chamber. And
A storage room provided in the main body;
A drawer unit provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage room;
An automatic door closing device for moving the drawer part in a direction to enter the storage room;
A damper device for preventing abrupt movement of the drawer part; Wow,
A locking member provided on a side surface of the storage chamber to operate the automatic door closing device;
And a damping protrusion provided on a side surface of the storage chamber for operating the damper device,
A first operation inducing distance for moving the automatic door closing device until the automatic door closing device is operated by the engaging member and a second operation inducing distance for moving the damper device until the damper device is operated by the damping projection, The distance and the second operation inducing distance are set the same or the first operation inducing distance is set smaller than the second operation inducing distance. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein each of the latching member and the damping protrusion is located near an inlet of the storage chamber with respect to an intermediate point of the storage chamber. delete 16. The method of claim 15,
The damper device includes a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device, a damper main body disposed inside the damper case to buffer an external force, and a damper main body connected to one side of the damper main body, And a damper rod which is brought into contact with the damper rod. 16. The method of claim 15,
The automatic door closing device includes a case,
A slider that linearly moves in the case;
A rotator rotatably coupled to one side of the slider and rotating at a predetermined point on the case,
And an elastic member connecting the slider and the case. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1 when the first operation induced distance and the second operation induced distance are set to be the same, Wherein the damper rod of the damper device is provided with a second damper rod having a relatively short length d2 when the damper device is set to be smaller than the second operation induced distance. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the damper main body includes at least one of gas, oil, and air therein for buffering action. And
A storage room provided in the main body;
A drawer unit provided so as to be able to move into and out of the storage room;
A damper device for preventing the drawer portion from being impacted or damaged by abruptly bumping into the storage chamber;
A damping protrusion provided in the storage chamber for operating the damper device;
An automatic door closing device for sliding the drawer part in a direction of entering the storage room;
And a latching member provided in the storage room for operating the automatic door locking device so that the drawer unit is automatically closed,
Wherein the damper device moves a predetermined operation trigger distance until the damping device is operated by the damping protrusion, the damper device comprising: a first damper rod having a relatively long length d1 to shorten the operation induction distance; A second damper rod having a relatively short length d2 such that the distance is long; , ≪ / RTI >
A damping protrusion for operating the damper device is provided on a side surface of the storage chamber,
A first operation inducing distance for moving the automatic door closing device until the automatic door closing device is operated by the engaging member and a second operation inducing distance for moving the damper device until the damper device is operated by the damping projection, The distance and the second operation inducing distance are set the same or the first operation inducing distance is set smaller than the second operation inducing distance. delete 23. The method of claim 22,
The damper device includes a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device, a damper main body disposed inside the damper case to buffer an external force, and a damper main body connected to one side of the damper main body, And a damper rod which is brought into contact with the damper rod. 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein the damper device operates simultaneously with the automatic closing device when the damper device includes the first damper rod and operates with a predetermined time difference after the automatic closing device operates when the damper device includes the second damper rod. Refrigerator. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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