KR101596553B1

KR101596553B1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: KR101596553B1
Application number: KR1020130163686A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 문정원
Original assignee: 동부대우전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2013-12-26
Filing date: 2013-12-26
Publication date: 2016-02-22
Also published as: KR20150075585A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technique applicable to a refrigerator. A refrigerator according to the present invention includes an upper body and a lower body which are slidable with respect to each other. This sliding action is activated as the door is opened.
Since the height of the main body of the refrigerator is adjusted, access to the storage chamber is easy, and the user's waist is not inflicted on the refrigerator.

Description

Refrigerator {REFRIGERATOR}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator capable of adjusting the height of a refrigerator body.

Generally, a refrigerator including a Kimchi refrigerator includes a storage room for storing food, a heater for raising the temperature in the storage room, and a cooling device for lowering the temperature in the storage room.

At this time, the heater installed in the kimchi refrigerator is installed to raise the temperature in the storage room to help the ripening of the kimchi, and the cooling device is installed for long-term storage while maintaining the taste of the ripened kimchi.

In case of a general kimchi refrigerator, the kimchi is put into a storage room of the kimchi refrigerator, and when the user selects a desired aging mode, a heater or the like is operated to mature the kimchi according to the set maturation mode.

Once the kimchi has been ripened, it is switched to the storage mode for long-term storage while maintaining its flavor. In the storage mode, the temperature in the storage room is maintained at the set temperature according to the set mode so that the kimchi can be stored for a long period of time. Of course, it is usual that such a storage mode is also provided so that it can be selected in various ways according to the user's preference.

There are various types of refrigerator including Kimchi refrigerator according to its shape or structure. Among them, the chest-type refrigerator has a structure in which the door installed on the upper part of the refrigerator body is opened and closed up and down.

Since the chest type refrigerator has a structure in which the door is opened to the upper side to access the inside from the storage room, the user has the inconvenience of bending the waist and taking out the food storage container.

Further, in the case of a user having a small height, it is very inconvenient that the height of the refrigerator is relatively high, so that it is possible to push the refrigerator down to the storage compartment.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator having a new structure that facilitates access to a storage chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a convenient structure in which a user having a small key can easily access the storage room to take out and store the food storage container.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a lower main body for providing a storage room capable of storing food therein, and a storage compartment formed with the lower main body, wherein the storage compartment is coupled to the lower main body A door connected to open and close the storage chamber by opening and closing an upper portion of the upper body and a moving means for moving the upper body downward with respect to the lower body as the door is opened.

The moving means may include a rotating member connected to the door and rotated as the door is opened and closed, and a vertical moving member connected to the rotating member and moving up and down as the rotating member rotates.

The rotary member may include a plurality of gears formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, and the vertically movable member may include a rack gear engaged with a plurality of gears of the rotary member.

The vertically moving member may be connected to the upper body, and the rotating member may be fixedly supported by the lower body.

The sensor may further include a sensor for detecting the opening of the door, and the moving means may include an actuator for automatically moving the upper body vertically downward according to sensing of the sensor.

The sensor may include a switch installed at a portion of the upper body that contacts the door, and the actuator may be a solenoid type actuator operated according to the operation of the switch.

The outer width of the lower body is smaller than the inner width of the upper body, and the upper body surrounds the upper portion of the lower body when the body is vertically downwardly moved.

A guide rail may be formed on an upper portion of the lower body, and the upper body may include a slider guided and slid along the guide rail.

Since the height of the main body of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention is adjusted, access to the storage chamber is facilitated, and the user's waist is not burdened.

In addition, a user with a small key can easily access the storage room to conveniently take out and insert the food storage container.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing the operation of the moving means in the refrigerator of FIG. 1;
Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a view showing the operation of the moving means in the refrigerator of Fig. 3;

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

1, the refrigerator includes a lower main body 10 and an upper main body 20 coupled to an upper portion of the lower main body 10. The upper body 20 is installed to be movable downward with respect to the lower body 10.

In this embodiment, the inner width of the upper body 20 is larger than the outer width of the lower body 10. When the upper body 20 is moved downward, And moves along the partial outer circumference.

The lower body 10 and the upper body 20 form a storage chamber 30 for storing food. The lower body 10 provides a bottom portion and a side wall portion of the storage chamber 30 and the upper body 20 provides a sidewall portion that continues from the upper portion of the storage chamber 30 of the lower body 10.

The upper portion of the storage chamber 30 is opened, and a door 40 is provided to open and close the upper portion of the storage chamber 30. [ The door 40 is rotatably connected to the lower main body 10 at one side.

As the door 40 is opened, the upper main body 20 is moved downward. To this end, the moving means 50 is included.

The moving means 50 will be described in detail with reference to Fig.

The moving means 50 includes a rotary member 51 connected to the door 40 and a vertically movable member 52 coupled with the upper body 20 to be movable up and down. The rotary member (51) and the vertically movable member (52) are connected so as to be capable of movement.

Specifically, the rotational force of the rotary member 51 is transmitted to the vertically-movable member 52, so that the vertically-movable member 52 is vertically moved.

In the present embodiment, the rotary member 51 has a plurality of gears formed on the outer periphery thereof, and rotates as the door 40 is opened. The vertically moving member 52 includes a rack having a plurality of gears meshing with gears of the rotating member 51. [

Although not shown, the door 40 is hingedly connected to the frame of the lower body 10, which extends upward from the lower body 10. Thus, when the upper main body 20 moves downward as the door 40 is opened, the door 40 maintains its position.

A guide rail 11 is formed on the lower main body 10 to guide the upper main body 20 upward and downward with respect to the lower main body 10. Although not shown, the upper main body 20 includes a slider (not shown) inserted into the guide rail 11 and guided by the up and down movement.

The structure of the guide rail 11 and the slider structure used for guiding the linear movement in the related art can be applied, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

3 and 4 show another embodiment.

The structure in which the upper main body 20 is movable up and down along the periphery of the lower main body 10 is almost the same as the above-described embodiment.

In this embodiment, the moving means 150 for vertically moving the upper main body 20 includes a solenoid type actuator.

First, a sensor 151 for sensing the opening of the door 40 is provided on the upper surface of the upper main body 20. That is, a sensor 151 is installed on a surface where the door 40 and the upper main body 20 are in contact with each other, thereby sensing that the door 40 is opened and closed.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the moving means 150 of the present embodiment, and the moving means 150 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The upper main body 20 is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 152 and a piston 154 is provided so as to be slidable in the hydraulic cylinder 152. The piston 154 is connected to the door 40.

The hydraulic cylinder 152 has a first hydraulic chamber 152a and a second hydraulic chamber 152b. The first hydraulic chamber 152a is connected to the hydraulic storage chamber 30 through a first flow pipe 155a. And the second hydraulic chamber 152b is connected to the hydraulic storage chamber 30 through the second flow pipe 155b.

The first flow pipe 155a is provided with a first solenoid valve 153a for opening and closing fluid movement of the first flow pipe 155a and the second flow pipe 155b is provided with a second solenoid valve 155b And a second solenoid valve 153b for opening and closing fluid movement is provided.

The first hydraulic chamber 152a is connected to the hydraulic storage chamber 30 through a first discharge pipe 156a and a first discharge valve 157a is installed in the first discharge pipe 156a. The second hydraulic chamber 152b is connected to the hydraulic storage chamber 30 through the second discharge pipe 156b and the second discharge valve 157b is installed in the second discharge pipe 156b.

The first solenoid valve 153a is closed and the second solenoid valve 153b is opened so that the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic storage chamber 30 is transmitted to the second hydraulic chamber 152b. At this time, the first discharge valve 157a is opened to return the fluid in the first hydraulic chamber 152a to the hydraulic storage chamber 30, and the second discharge valve 157b is kept closed.

With the above operation, when the fluid enters the second hydraulic chamber 152b, the hydraulic cylinder 152 moves downward due to the hydraulic action between the piston 154 and the hydraulic cylinder 152. [

On the other hand, when it is detected that the door 40 is closed, the second solenoid valve 153b is closed, the first solenoid valve 153a is opened, and the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure storage chamber 30 is inputted to the first hydraulic pressure chamber 152a do. At this time, the second discharge valve 157b is opened so that the fluid in the second hydraulic chamber 152b is returned to the hydraulic storage chamber 30, and the first discharge valve 157a is kept closed.

With the above operation, as the door 40 is closed, the fluid in the hydraulic storage chamber 30 flows into the first hydraulic chamber 152a and the piston 154 and the hydraulic cylinder 152 in the first hydraulic chamber 152a The hydraulic cylinder 152 is moved upward.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. It should not be used to limit.

10: Lower body 11: Guide rail
20: upper body 30: storage chamber
40: door 50: moving means (first embodiment)
51: rotating member (spur gear) 52: vertical moving member (rack gear)
150: moving means (second embodiment) 151: sensor
152: Hydraulic cylinder 152a: First hydraulic chamber
152b: second hydraulic chamber 153a: first solenoid valve
153b: second solenoid valve 154: piston
155a: first flow tube 155b: second flow tube
156a: first discharge pipe 156b: second discharge pipe
157a: first discharge valve 157b: second discharge valve
160: Hydraulic storage room

Claims

A lower body for providing a storage room in which food can be stored;
An upper body coupled to the lower body to form the storage compartment together with the lower body and movable up and down relative to the lower body;
A door connected to open / close the upper portion of the upper body to open / close the storage room;
Moving means for moving the upper body downward with respect to the lower body as the door is opened;
The refrigerator comprising:

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
A rotary member connected to the door and rotated as the door is opened and closed; And
A vertical moving member connected to the rotating member and moving up and down as the rotating member rotates;
Wherein the refrigerator is a refrigerator.

3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the rotary member includes a plurality of gears formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and the vertically movable member includes a rack gear engaged with a plurality of gears of the rotary member.

The method according to claim 2 or 3,
The vertically moving member is connected to the upper body,
Wherein the rotary member is fixedly supported by the lower main body.

The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a sensor for detecting opening of the door,
Wherein the moving means includes an actuator for automatically moving the upper body vertically downward according to sensing of the sensor.

6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the sensor includes a switch installed at a portion of the upper body that abuts on the door, and the actuator is a solenoid type actuator operated according to operation of the switch.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein an outer width of the lower body is smaller than an inner width of the upper body, and the upper body surrounds an upper portion of the lower body when the body is vertically downwardly moved, and moves downward.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein a guide rail is formed on an upper portion of the lower main body, and the upper main body further comprises a slider guided and slid along the guide rail.

A lower body formed as an upper open type and forming a part of a storage chamber capable of storing foods therein;
An upper body supported by the lower body and forming a remainder of the storage chamber, the upper body being capable of being raised and lowered along the lower body;
A door rotatably coupled to the upper body or the lower body to open / close an upper portion of the storage chamber; And
A moving unit installed between the door and the upper body to move the upper body up and down according to opening and closing of the door,
.