KR20060124953A - Door opening and closing device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A door opening/closing device for a refrigerator is provided to move a door with respect to a hinge fixed to a main body in a direction to be separated from the other door by the guide of first and second guide elements, thereby separating gasket assemblies at facing parts of the doors first and minimizing contact therebetween. A door opening/closing device for a refrigerator includes a plurality of doors(35R) for opening/closing a main body(40) of the refrigerator, and hinges(45) connecting the doors to the main body and serve as the centers of rotation of the doors. A first guide element(70) translates the doors for making the doors separated from each other by carrying out relative movement with respect to the centers of rotation of the doors. A second guide element(80) connects the main body to the doors for guiding the translation and rotation paths of the doors.

Description

Door opening and closing device for refrigerator

1 is a front view showing a French type refrigerator

2 is a front view showing an open state of a French type refrigerator equipped with a gasket separating device of the prior art

3 is a cross sectional plan view of an essential part of a gasket separating apparatus of the prior art

Figure 4 is a detailed view showing a deformation state of the gasket at the time of opening the door in the prior art

5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a door opening and closing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detail view "A" of FIG. 5

7 is a detailed view of the main part of the door opening and closing device;

8 is an operation diagram when the door according to the first embodiment of the present invention is closed;

9 is an operation view when the door is opened or closed according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

10 is an operation diagram when the door according to the first embodiment of the present invention is opened;

11 is a plan view of a door showing a movement limiting mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

12 is a plan view of a door showing a second guide mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

35, 35R, 35L: Door 37: Gasket

40: refrigerator body 44: door hinge shaft

45: hinge mechanism 47: hinge link

50: gasket assembly 51: gasket holder

53: gasket 55: magnetic material

70: first hinge mechanism 72: slot

74: elastic member 76: rod

80: second hinge mechanism 82: cam

84: cam guide 85: translational movement section

86: rotational movement section 88: guide hole

90: limiting mechanism 92: ball

94: elastic member 100: second guide mechanism

110: opening path 115: translational movement section

116: rotation movement section 120: closing path

130: path limiting mechanism 132: plate

134: axis 150: cam guide

155: block

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a double-door door, wherein the hinge mechanism, which is the center of rotation of the door, is fixed to the main body side and guides the opening and closing path of the door by the first and second guide mechanisms to guide the movement path of the door. It relates to a gasket separating device of the refrigerator to allow the gasket assembly in close contact with each other.

1 and 2 are views illustrating a typical French type refrigerator.

As shown in the refrigerator, the refrigerating chamber 1 is positioned above and the freezing chamber 2 is positioned below. In particular, the refrigerating chamber is a French-type refrigerator in which a partition wall separating the interior is not formed.

The refrigerating chamber (2) has a door (3) for opening and closing the structure of the two-door open type, the circumferential surface of each door (3) is provided with a gasket (10) in close contact with the refrigerator main body (5) so that cold air does not leak out do.

In particular, the gasket 11 is installed so that cold air does not leak to the part where the doors 3 meet each other. In general, a refrigerator of a French type is provided with a filler on one door so that the gaskets of both doors are in close contact with each other. It has a structure, or a filler is provided without a fillerless (fillerless) structure in which the gaskets 11 of both doors 3 are in close contact with each other.

1 and 2 illustrate a pillarless type, in which the gaskets 11 provided on both doors are in close contact with each other while the doors 3 are closed, as shown in FIG. 1. Seal the gap.

3 is a cross-sectional configuration view in the direction A of FIG. 1 showing a state in which the gasket 11 is in close contact with both the doors 3 closed, and the gasket 11 has both doors 3 mutually connected to each other. It consists of the gasket holder 12 provided in the opposing side surface, and the gasket rubber 13 attached to this gasket holder 12, and mutually in close contact.

Inside the gasket rubber 13, the magnetic body 14 is installed so as to maintain mutual adhesion.

In particular, the gasket 11 is a gasket separation device 15 that separates the two gaskets 11 to some extent during the initial opening of the door, in order to solve the problem of opening the other door accordingly when one door 3 is opened. ) Is installed.

The gasket separating device 15 is configured to rotate the gasket holder 12 about the hinge portion 16 supported by the door 3 and toward the refrigerator main body 5 around the hinge portion 16. The cam lever 17 which protrudes long is provided. In addition, the cam body 6 is formed in the refrigerator main body 5 so that the cam lever 17 comes into close contact with the door when the door is opened.

Here, the gasket rubber 13 and the gasket holder 12 are rotated about the hinge portion 16 when the cam lever 17 is moved forward along the cam portion 6 when the door is opened.

Therefore, in the state in which the door 3 is completely closed, as shown in FIG. 3, the cam portion 18 of the cam lever 17 is caught behind the cam portion 6 of the refrigerator main body 5, and one door 3 is closed. When opened, it is rotated around the hinge portion 16 as it comes out along with the cam lever 17 along the door, and the gasket holder 12 also rotates about the hinge portion 16 at the same time. The gasket 11 'indicated by the dotted line is separated from the gasket 11 of the other door 3 so that only one door is opened.

However, the conventional gasket separating apparatus of the refrigerator having the above-described one door 3 because the amount of change in the left and right separation of the gasket 11 is relatively smaller than the rotational movement distance of the cam lever 17 generated when the door 3 is opened. When the gasket 11 is opened, the contact between both gaskets 11 is not completely separated, which causes a friction force between one of the doors to be opened and the closed door, thereby slightly opening the closed door forward.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, when both gaskets 11 are not completely separated in the process of opening the door 3 as described above, the magnetic body 14 of the door 3 closed by the interaction of the two magnetic bodies 14. The contact time of the gasket rubber 13 is increased while coming out toward the magnetic body 14 of the door 3 to which the door 3 is opened, thereby increasing the friction of the gasket rubber 13 and thus greatly reducing the gasket life.

Further, since the cam lever 17 and the cam part 6 of the refrigerator main body 5 are in contact with each other, the gasket 11 is spaced apart from each other at the center of the refrigerator farthest from the hinge part of the door 3. There is also a problem in that when opening (3), the resistance increases, so much force is required.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, by guiding the opening and closing path of the door by the first and second guide mechanisms to fix the hinge mechanism of the center of rotation of the door to the body side and to guide the movement path of the door It is an object of the present invention to provide a gasket separating apparatus of a refrigerator, which allows the gasket assemblies closely adhered between doors to be separated from each other.

The door opening and closing device of the refrigerator according to the present invention for realizing the above object and a plurality of doors for opening and closing the refrigerator body; A hinge mechanism fixed to the main body by connecting the door to form a center of rotation on the door; A first guide mechanism which is relatively moved with the rotational center of the door by translating the door so that the plurality of doors are spaced apart; It comprises a second guide mechanism for connecting the main body and the door to guide the translational movement path and the rotational movement path of the door.

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

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the French type refrigerator that can be opened in the left and right direction is provided with a double door type in one refrigerator compartment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a door opening and closing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a portion “A” of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a detailed view of a main part of the door opening and closing apparatus, and FIG. 8. Is a plan view of the main part showing the door closed state.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, a freezing compartment 31 is positioned at a lower side thereof, and a refrigerating chamber 32 having double doors 35L and 35R is positioned at an upper side thereof, and both doors 35L and 35R are positioned at the upper side thereof. ) Is connected to the refrigerator body 40 by the hinge mechanism 45 and the guide mechanism 70, 80.

Gaskets 37 are installed on both the doors 35L and 35R in close contact with the refrigerator main body 40 so as to prevent cold air from leaking out to the outside.

Particularly, since the partition wall or the refrigerator main body 40 does not exist in a portion where the two doors 35L and 35R face each other, the side gasket assembly 50 closes to the counter door and seals the gap between the doors 35L and 35R. (Hereinafter referred to as 'gasket assembly') is installed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the gasket assembly 50 is installed between the gasket holder 51 installed on the side surfaces of the doors 35L and 35R, and the gasket holder 51 to the gasket of the mating door. The gasket 53 is in close contact with each other, and the magnetic body 55 is provided inside the gasket 53 to generate magnetism to be in close contact with the gasket 53 of the mating doors 35L and 35R.

In order to minimize the phenomenon that the doors 35L and 35R are opened in the state in which both gasket assemblies 50 are in close contact with each other, the entire door 35 is moved laterally in the refrigerator when the door is opened or closed. Hinge mechanisms 45 and guide mechanisms 70 and 80 are provided to space both gasket assemblies 50 apart from each other.

6 and 7, the hinge mechanism 45 is fixed to the main body 40 and protrudes toward the doors 35L and 35R, and the hinge link 47. And a door hinge shaft 44 installed at the ends of the doors 35L and 35R of the door 47, and the door hinge shaft 44 is configured to rotate the center of rotation of the door when the doors 35L and 35R are opened and closed. Form.

The guide mechanisms 70 and 80 are moved relative to the centers of rotation of the doors 35L and 35R to guide the translational movement directions of the doors 35L and 35R, and the doors And a second guide mechanism 80 which provides a translational movement section and a rotational movement section of the doors 35L, 35R when the doors 35L, 35R open and close.

The first guide mechanism 70 is a structure for moving the doors 35L and 35R while being supported by the hinge mechanism 45 when the doors 35L and 35R are opened and closed. A slot 72 formed in the left and right directions, an elastic member 74 installed in the slot 72 to provide elastic force to the hinge mechanism 45 and the doors 35L and 35R, and the elastic member 74. And a rod 76 that transmits the elastic force of the elastic member 74 to the door hinge shaft 44 between the hinge mechanism 45 and the hinge mechanism 45.

Here, the door hinge shaft 44 is installed in the hinge link 47 in the vertical direction to be inserted into the slot 72, and the elastic member 74 is formed of a compression spring to form the rod 76 and the slot. The inner wall of 72 is pressurized.

Thus, when no external force acts on the doors 35L and 35R, the doors 35L and 35R closely contact the gasket assembly 50 by the elastic member 74.

In addition, the slots 72 also rotate the doors 35L and 35R, and the rod 76 is in close contact with the outer circumference of the door hinge shaft 44 so that the doors are rotated even when the doors 35L and 35R are rotated. The elastic force is transmitted to the hinge shaft 44.

The second guide mechanism 80 is fixed to the main body 40, the cam guide 84 is formed to cover the upper portion of the door (35L, 35R) and the door (35L, 35R) is fixed to the cam guide ( And a cam 82 moved along 84.

When the cam 82 is installed on the upper end of the door (35L, 35R) and protrudes upward, the cam guide 84 is inserted into the cam guide 84 when the door (35L, 35R) is opened and closed The moving direction of the doors 35L and 35R is guided.

Thus, the cam guide 84 has a translational movement section 85 in which the cam 82 is linearly moved, and a rotational movement section 86 in which the cam 82 is rotationally moved, and the translational / rotational movement section. 85 and 86 are formed in the guide hole 88 inside the cam guide 84.

And the cam guide 84 is provided with a movement limiting mechanism 90 for limiting the free movement of the cam 82 when the door (35L, 35R) is closed, in this embodiment the movement limiting mechanism ( 90 is a detent assembly which protrudes into the translational movement section 85 of the guide hole 88.

Here, the detent assembly is installed between the cam guide 84 and the ball 92 to protrude into the translational movement section 85, and is installed between the cam guide 84 and the ball 92 and the It is composed of an elastic member 94 for supporting the ball 92 with an elastic force.

Hereinafter, an operation process of the refrigerator door opening and closing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10.

8 is an operation diagram when the door according to the first embodiment of the present invention is closed, FIG. 9 is an operation diagram when the door according to the first embodiment of the present invention is opened and closed, and FIG. The operation diagram when the door according to the first embodiment is opened.

For convenience, the process of opening the right door 35R will be described as an example.

First, the process of opening the door will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, when the doors 35L and 35R are closed, the gaskets 53 of both doors 35L and 35R are in close contact with each other.

When the user opens the door 35R in such a state, as shown in FIG. 9, the door 35R is first and second guide mechanisms 70 (by the user opening the door 35R). 80) translation to the right.

In more detail, since the door 35R has a limited direction of movement by the first and second guide mechanisms 70 and 80, the positional relationship between the hinge shaft 44 and the cam 82 is limited. The movement of the door 35R is determined accordingly.

Thus, when the user is pulled to open the door 35R, the door 35R is moved forward by the pulling force, but is moved to the right by the contact of the cam 82 and the cam guide 84. The elastic member 74 is compressed by the relative movement of the door 35R and the hinge mechanism 45 to achieve a state as shown in FIG. 9.

Here, the door hinge shaft 44 of the hinge mechanism 45 is stopped because it is fixed to the main body 40 side, and the door 35R is the slot 72 and the translation movement section 85. Along the straight line.

Thus, when the door 35R is linearly moved in interaction with the first and second guide mechanisms 70 and 80 and the hinge mechanism 45 in the process of opening, the door 35R is opened in the process of opening the counterpart door 35L. Because of the separation from the friction between the gasket assembly 50 is minimized.

Thereafter, when the user further opens the door 35R, the cam 82 is circularly moved along the rotation movement section 86 of the cam guide 84. At this time, the door hinge shaft 44 of the hinge mechanism 45 forms the center of rotation of the door 35R in the slot 72 to rotate the door 35R to achieve the state of FIG. 10.

Next, the process of closing the door will be described.

When the user closes the door 35R, the door 35R is closed while proceeding in the reverse order of the opening process, and the elastic member 74 installed in the slot 72 is supported by the rod 76. Since the door 35R is pushed toward the mating door 35L, the door 35R is easily returned to the initial position.

In addition, the elastic member 74 prevents the cold air of the refrigerating chamber from leaking out by bringing the gasket assembly 50 into close contact with each other.

And even if the user does not close the door 35R, the cam 82 and the hinge shaft 44 are moved to their original position by the elastic force by the elastic member 74.

On the other hand, the ball 92 installed in the cam guide 84 prevents the cam 82 returned to the initial position to move freely to improve the adhesion between the gasket assembly 50.

In addition, the movement limiting mechanism 90 allows the cam 82 to move only when a user applies a force to pull the door 35R, so that the gasket 53 when one door 35R is opened. Even if friction between the two occurs, the relative door 35L is suppressed from opening.

11 is a plan view of a door showing a movement limiting mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that in the first embodiment, a lever 96 for locking and holding the cam 82 is provided instead of the detent assembly.

Here, the lever 96 is coupled to the cam guide 84, the shaft 98, the torsion spring 97 is installed on the shaft 98 is an elastic force for rotating the lever 96 to the cam 82 side. The cam guide 84 is provided with a stopper 99 for preventing the lever 96 from being rotated by a predetermined angle or more.

Thus, when the door 35R is closed, the end 96a of the lever 96 wraps around a part of the outer circumference of the cam 82, thereby restricting the cam 82 from freely moving.

When the door 35R is opened, the cam 82 is separated from the lever 96 and moved along the cam guide 84, and the lever 96 is separated from the cam 82 even after the stopper is removed. It is positioned in engagement with the cam 82 by (99).

12 is a plan view of a door showing a second guide mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that two paths through which the cam 82 moves in the second guide mechanism 100 are formed in the first embodiment.

Here, the second guide mechanism 100 includes an opening path 110 through which the cam 82 is moved when the door 35R is opened, and a closing path 120 through which the cam 82 is moved when the door 35R is closed. The cam guide 150 is configured to include, and the cam guide 150 is provided with a path limiting mechanism 130 for allowing the cam 82 to move only in one direction.

The opening path 110 is a translation movement section 115 for guiding a linear movement direction of the cam 82 when the door 35R is translated, and the cam 82 when the door 35R is rotated. It consists of a rotational movement section 116 for guiding the circular motion of the, the closing path 120 is composed of a path for directly connecting the initial position of the cam 82 in the rotational movement section 116.

Here, the cam 82 enters the opening path 110 or the closing path 120 by the path limiting mechanism 130, and in this embodiment, the path limiting mechanism 130 is the opening / closing path ( Plates 132 and 133 blocking the 110 and 120, respectively, and an elastic member (not shown) for rotating the plates 132 and 133, the cam guide 150, the opening path ( A block 155 is formed to distinguish the closed path 120 from the 110 and the path limiting mechanism 130 is preferably installed in the block 155.

Wherein the plate 132, 133 is coupled to the shaft 134 to the block 155, the elastic member is installed on the shaft 134 to provide an elastic force to the plate 132, 133, The opening path 110 or the closing path 120 is opened and closed.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the plate 132 is opened while the plate 132 is rotated only when the cam 82 moves in the direction ① shown in FIG. 12, and the plate 132 is the cam guide 150. The opening path 110 is closed while being supported.

Thus, when the cam 82 returns to its original position, the cam 82 does not enter the opening path 110 but is guided by the plate 132 and moved to the closing path 120. It returns to the initial position while proceeding in the direction.

On the other hand, when the door is opened, the cam 82 is not moved in the reverse direction of ② by the plate 133 supported by the cam guide 150, it is moved only to the opening path (110).

The door opening and closing device of the refrigerator according to the present invention configured and acted as described above has a door guided to the first and second guide mechanisms centered on a hinge mechanism fixed to the main body side when the door is opened in a direction to be spaced apart from the counterpart door. Since it is moved, there is an effect that the gasket assembly installed at the opposite portion of the door is first separated.

In addition, the door opening and closing device of the refrigerator according to the present invention has the advantage that the contact between the gasket assembly installed between the doors is minimized because the door opened by the guide mechanism when the door is opened and closed.

Therefore, since the guide mechanism of the refrigerator according to the present invention is configured to rotate forward after the door is moved laterally, there is an advantage of moving the door in a direction in which interference of the gasket assembly is minimized.

In addition, the cam guide of the hinge mechanism of the refrigerator according to the present invention has an advantage of guiding the moving direction of the door to be opened more accurately because it forms a moving path of the cam installed in the door to guide the moving direction.

In addition, since the cam guide of the refrigerator according to the present invention is formed with a linear translation section for moving the center of rotation of the door in the lateral direction, there is an advantage that the gasket assembly is quickly separated.

In addition, the cam guide of the refrigerator according to the present invention has an advantage of optimizing the other path to the door opening and closing because the path of cam movement when the door is opened and the path of cam movement when the door is closed are formed separately.

In addition, the second guide mechanism of the refrigerator according to the present invention has an advantage of improving the adhesion between the door and the counterpart door because a movement limiting mechanism for suppressing free movement at the initial position of the cam is provided.

Claims (11)

A plurality of doors for opening and closing the refrigerator body; A hinge mechanism fixed to the main body by connecting the door to form a center of rotation on the door; A first guide mechanism which is relatively moved with the rotational center of the door by translating the door so that the plurality of doors are spaced apart; And a second guide mechanism which connects the main body and the door to guide the translational movement path and the rotational movement path of the door. The method according to claim 1, The first guide mechanism is a door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a slot for guiding the translational movement direction of the door rotation center. The method according to claim 1, The second guide mechanism is installed across the main body and the door, the cam guide to form a translational movement section and the rotational movement section of the door; Door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a cam moved along the cam guide. The method according to claim 3, One end of the cam guide is fixed to the main body, the other end of the door opening and closing device, characterized in that the protruding toward the door is formed. The method according to claim 3, One end of the cam guide is fixed to the door, the other end of the refrigerator door opening and closing device, characterized in that is formed to protrude to the body side. The method according to claim 3, Door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the cam is inserted into the cam guide is moved. The method according to claim 3, The door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, the door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the movement limiting mechanism for limiting the free movement of the cam when the door is closed is further installed. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The door opening and closing device of the refrigerator further comprises an elastic member for pressing the door toward the counter door side. The method according to claim 8, The elastic member is a door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that installed in the first guide mechanism. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7, The cam guide includes an opening path through which the cam is moved when the door is opened; The door opening and closing device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the cam is divided into a closing path to move when the door is closed. The method according to claim 10, The cam guide is a door opening and closing device of the refrigerator characterized in that the cam is further provided with a path limiting mechanism for moving only one of the opening path and the closing path.

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