KR20090040949A - Door opening device and refrigerator having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A door opening device and a refrigerator having the same are provided to perform the door opening and to extend the service time of an element related a driving motor. A door opening device comprises followings. An operation member selectively opens a first and a second door(11,12) with rotation. A rotation cam(40) is rotated with a drive motor to the forward direction and reverse direction. The rotation cam has a plurality of protrusions(41) contacting with the operation member and rotating the operation member, and a plurality of facing part(42) faced with the operation member. An operation member includes: a first extension part(31) extended to the rotation cam from the center of the rotation; and a second and a third extension part(32,33) extended to the direction intersecting with the first extension part from the center of the rotation. A first pressurizing rod(36) is pivotally combined with the second extension part by a first concatenated axis(34) and is extended to the first door inner side. A second pressurizing rod(37) is pivotally combined with the third extension part by a second connection shaft(35) and is extended to the second door inner side.

Description

DOOR OPENING DEVICE AND REFRIGERATOR HAVING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a door opening device and a refrigerator having the same, and more particularly, to a door opening device and a refrigerator having the same so that the door can be easily opened.

In general, a large refrigerator requires a large force to open the door because the door to open and close the storage compartment is large. Not only is the door weight heavy, but also the pressure drop between the inside and outside of the storage room due to the temperature drop in the storage room when it is operating. Therefore, in recent years, such a refrigerator has been installed in the door opening device to open the door by pushing in the direction of opening the door to open the door.

Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-40436 discloses a double door refrigerator having a door opening device. The refrigerator has storage compartments which are mutually divided on both sides, and has a left door and a right door for opening and closing each storage compartment.

The door opening device of the refrigerator includes a drive motor for forward rotation and reverse rotation, and a main cam rotated by the drive motor. A first sub cam which rotates by the operation of the main cam to open the left door and a second sub cam which rotates by the operation of the main cam to open the right door. The first sub cam is pushed by the main cam when the main cam rotates clockwise to rotate the left door, and the second sub cam is pushed by the main cam when the main cam rotates counterclockwise to rotate the right door. Open.

In the aforementioned door opening device of the refrigerator, the driving motor rotates in the first direction when the door is opened, and the main motor is operated after the opening of the door by rotating the driving motor in the second direction (reverse direction). Return to position That is, in order to open one door, the drive motor had to rotate in the first direction and then rotate in the second direction, so the drive motor had to operate twice. Therefore, the door opening device has a frequent operation of the drive motor, the life of the drive motor and the relay for controlling it could be shortened.

After opening one door and subsequently opening the other door, the driving motor rotates in the first direction to open one door, reversely rotates in the second direction to return to the original position, and then the other door. And further rotating in the second direction to open, and rotating in the first direction to return to the original position. When opening the two doors as described above, there was a problem in that the frequency of operation of the driving motor was frequent and the opening of the door was delayed.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention to provide a door opening device and a refrigerator having the same to reduce the number of operation of the drive motor for opening the door to extend the life of the drive motor and related parts. It is.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a door opening device and a refrigerator having the same so that the door can be quickly opened.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door opening device comprising: an actuating member for selectively opening the two doors by rotation in selectively opening the first door and the second door; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spacers spaced apart from the operating member, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are alternately disposed in a rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam in a forward direction and a reverse direction; And a restoring device for repositioning the actuating member after the opening of at least one of the two doors, wherein the actuating member intersects the first extension extending from the center of rotation to the rotary cam and the first extension from the center of rotation. Second and third extension portions extending in both directions, the first pressure rods rotatably coupled to the second extension portion by a first connecting shaft and extending toward an inner surface of the first door, and a second connection portion. And a second pressing rod rotatably coupled to the third extension part by a shaft and extending toward an inner surface of the second door.

The first and second connecting shafts are spaced apart from the rotation center of the operating member, and are disposed in a position biased toward an end portion of the first extension part which contacts the rotary cam as compared with the rotation center of the operating member.

The actuating member is characterized in that the length of the first extension is longer than the length of the second and third extension.

In addition, the door opening device according to the present invention and the operation member for opening the door by rotation; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spaced portions spaced apart from the operating member, wherein the protrusions and the spaced apart portions are alternately disposed along the rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam; And a restoring device for repositioning the actuating member after the door is opened, the actuating member extending toward a side of the first cam extending from the center of rotation and toward the side of the first cam from the center of rotation. It includes an extended second extension portion, and a pressing rod rotatably coupled to the second extension portion by a connecting shaft extending toward the inner surface of the door.

In addition, the refrigerator according to the present invention selectively includes a main body having a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment partitioned with each other, first and second doors that open and close the first and second storage compartments, and the first and second doors, respectively. A door opening device for opening the door, the door opening device comprising: an operation member for selectively opening the two doors by rotation; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spacers spaced apart from the operating member, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are alternately disposed in a rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam in a forward direction and a reverse direction; And a restoring device for repositioning the actuating member after opening of at least one of the two doors, wherein the actuating member intersects the first extension extending from the center of rotation to the rotary cam and the first extension from the center of rotation. Second and third extension portions extending in both directions, the first pressure rods rotatably coupled to the second extension portion by a first connecting shaft and extending toward an inner surface of the first door, and a second connection portion. And a second pressing rod rotatably coupled to the third extension part by a shaft and extending toward an inner surface of the second door.

The door opening device according to the present invention can open the door only by the operation of the drive motor rotates a predetermined section in one direction, and after the door is opened, it becomes the initial state even if the drive motor does not operate in the reverse direction, thereby minimizing the operation of the drive motor. have. Therefore, there is an effect that can extend the life of the drive motor and related parts.

In addition, the door opening device according to the present invention, even when the first door and the second door is continuously opened, the drive motor rotates in the clockwise direction and then rotates counterclockwise again. Not only can significantly reduce the effect of opening the two doors quickly.

In addition, the door opening device according to the present invention is a method of pressing the inner surface of the door while the first and second pressure rods retreat by the rotation of the operating member, so that the door can be easily opened by the door opening device. It can be effective.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail.

1 illustrates a refrigerator to which a door opening device according to the present invention is applied. The refrigerator includes a main body 10 in which a first storage compartment (not shown) and a second storage compartment (not shown) are mutually partitioned. The first door 11 and the second door 12 are installed at both sides of the main body 10 to open and close the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber, respectively. In such a refrigerator, a first storage compartment is a freezing compartment and a second storage compartment is a refrigerating compartment. The first door 11 and the second door 12 are rotatably coupled to the main body 10 by the upper and lower hinge devices 13. Handles 14 and 15 for opening the respective doors are provided on the front of each door 11 and 12.

The door opening device 20 is installed above the main body 10. The door opening device 20 pushes the upper portions of the first door 11 and the second door 12 forward so that the doors 11 and 12 are easily opened when the user opens the doors 11 and 12. To do that.

2 to 6 show a door opening apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the door opening device 20 is configured to open the two doors 11 and 12 and the operation member 30 to selectively open the two doors 11 and 12 by rotation. The rotary cam 40 for rotating the operation member 30, the drive motor 50 for rotating the rotary cam 40 in the forward and reverse directions is provided. The rotary cam 40 is installed in the cam cover 52. And these parts are all accommodated in the upper case 21 and the lower case 22. The lower case 22 is fixed to the upper surface of the body 10, the upper case 21 and the lower case 22 are coupled to each other by fastening a plurality of fixing screws (23).

The rotary cam 40 includes three protrusions 41 for rotating the operating member 30 in contact with the operating member 30 and three spaced portions 42 spaced apart from the operating member 30. . Each protrusion 41 and each spacer 42 are alternately arranged in the rotational direction at approximately 120 degree intervals. Each protrusion 41 is made of a curved surface, each spacing 42 is a bone curved surface. 2 to 6 show a case in which the protrusions 41 of the rotary cam 40 are provided at three places, but the protrusions 41 are not limited thereto and may be provided at two or four places around the rotary cam 40. Can also be.

The cam cover 52 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower case 22 by fastening the fixing screw 53, and the drive motor 50 is mounted to the upper surface of the cam cover 52. The shaft 51 of the drive motor 50 passes through the cam cover 52 and extends into the cam cover 52 and is coupled to the rotary cam 40. Therefore, the rotary cam 40 rotates inside the cam cover 52 when the driving motor 50 operates.

The operating member 30 is rotatably coupled to the upper surface of the lower case 22 in front of the rotary cam 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the support shaft 24 is provided on the upper surface of the lower case 22 for such coupling.

As shown in FIG. 3, the actuating member 30 includes a first extension 31 extending from the rotation center (support shaft) toward the rotation cam 40 and a first extension 31 from the rotation center. The second extension part 32 and the 3rd extension part 33 extended in the both directions which cross | intersect, respectively. In addition, the operation member 30 is rotatably coupled to the end of the second extension portion 32 by the first connecting shaft 34 and the first pressure rod 36 extending toward the inner surface of the first door 11 and It includes a second pressing rod 37 rotatably coupled to the end of the third extension portion 33 by the second connecting shaft 35 and extending toward the inner surface of the second door 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first to third extension parts 31, 32, and 33 are connected to each other on the support shaft 24, which forms the center of rotation, so that the two doors 11 and 12 are separated from the rotating cam 40. It will be in the form of an arrow pointing towards you. The first and second connecting shafts 34 and 35 are installed at positions spaced apart from the center of rotation of the actuating member 30, and the first extension part is in contact with the rotary cam 40 as compared to the center of rotation of the actuating member 30. And slightly biased by t in FIG. 3 toward the end of 31. That is, the line connecting the position of the first connecting shaft 34 and the position of the second connecting shaft 35 is slightly shifted toward the rotary cam 40 by shifting the center of rotation of the operating member 30 by a predetermined interval t. . As shown in FIG. 4, when the operating member 30 rotates by the operation of the rotary cam 40, the first and second pressurization rods according to the rotation of the second and third extension parts 32 and 33. The range of (36,37) advancement is maximized. That is, by making the first and second pressure rods 36 and 37 tangentially coincide with the tangential direction of the circle (rotational trajectory) formed by the rotation of the first and second connecting shafts 34 and 35, And it is intended to increase the advance of the second pressure rod (36,37). As the first and second pressure rods 36 and 37 move in and out as described above, the opening of each door 11 and 12 by the operation of the door opening device 20 can be increased, so that the user can access each door 11 and 12. Can be easily opened.

The first extension portion 31 of the operating member 30 is such that its end is in contact with the protrusion 41 of the rotary cam 40 but spaced apart from the spaced portion 42 of the rotary cam 40. In addition, the operation member 30 has a length of the first extension portion 31 is longer than the length of the second and third extension portions (32, 33). This is an application of the lever principle. 4 and 6, although the rotary cam 40 rotates the first extension portion 31 of the operation member 30 with a small force, the second or third extension portions 32 and 33 are larger. The first and second doors 11 and 12 can be easily opened by pressing the first or second pressing rods 36 and 37 with force.

The roller 38 is provided at the end of the first extension part 31. This is to prevent the friction between the first extension 31 and the rotary cam 40 when the door opening device 20 operates. 2 and 7, a dustproof band 38a made of silicon or rubber is provided around the outer surface of the roller 38. The vibration and vibration of the rotary cam 40 and the operation member 30 is to be damped by the vibration band 38a.

The first extension part 31 is provided with a return spring 25 for returning the operation member 30 to the initial position after opening the door. The return spring 25 has one end connected to the first extension part 31 and the other end connected to the upper surface side of the refrigerator body 10 to impart an elastic restoring force to the first extension part 31. Although the coil type return spring 25 is illustrated as a device for restoring the operating member 30 in the drawing, the restoring device may be made of an elastic member such as a torsion spring, a spiral spring, and rubber.

In this way, since the elasticity of the return spring 25 acts on the operation member 30, it may be restored to an initial state after the operation as shown in FIG. In the initial state, the end of the first extension part 31 is positioned at the separation part 42 of the rotary cam 40, and the driving motor 50 is the separation part 42 and the first extension part of the rotary cam 40. The operation stops when the position of (31) coincides. For this operation, the door opening device 20 is provided with a detection device for detecting the rotation position of the rotary cam 40. The sensing device includes magnets 43 provided at the tip of each protrusion 41 of the rotary cam 40 and a detection sensor fixed to the cam cover 52 outside the rotary cam 40 so as to sense each magnet 43. 44). The sensor 44 is composed of a conventional reed switch. Of course, the sensing device is not limited to this, and may be made of an optical sensor for detecting the position of the protrusion 41 or a limit switch for detecting the position through contact with the protrusion.

At the center of rotation of the operation member 30 is provided a rotation resistance unit 60 to impart rotational resistance. This is to minimize the phenomenon that the operating member 30 collides with the rotary cam 40 or the operating member 30 is shaken during operation by allowing the operating member 30 to rotate slowly when it returns. The rotation resistance unit 60 may be implemented in the form of a rotary oil damper as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The rotary oil damper has a cylindrical case 61 accommodating oil, a fixed blade 62 fixed to the support shaft 24 entering the case 61, and an inner surface of the case 61 to rotate together with the case 61. It is provided in and includes a rotary blade 63 having at least one oil distribution hole (64). The case 61 is rotated together with the operation member 30 by the outer surface is coupled to the operation member (30). When the case 61 and the rotary blade 63 rotate by the operation of the operation member 30, the oil damper flows while the oil inside the case 61 flows into the oil distribution hole 64 of the rotary blade 63. Since resistance is generated, rotational resistance can be given to the operating member 30. Here, the oil damper is exemplified as the rotation resistance unit 60, but a conventional gear damper may be employed as the rotation resistance unit 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the door opening device 20 may include manipulation units provided at the handles 14 and 15 of the first and second doors 11 and 12, respectively, to control the operation of the driving motor 50. 16,17). The manipulation units 16 and 17 may be sensors that sense when the user grasps the handles 14 and 15, or switches that directly open and close the power applied to the driving motor 50. When the operation units 16 and 17 are the detection sensors, the detection signals of the detection sensors may be transmitted to the controller (not shown) of the refrigerator, and the controller may control the operation of the driving motor 50. In addition, the control unit for controlling the door opening device 20 may be configured together with the control unit for controlling the overall operation of the refrigerator or may be configured separately.

Next, the operation of the door opening device 20 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the driving motor 50 does not operate unless the grip parts 14 and 15 are grasped while the first door 11 and the second door 12 are closed. Therefore, the initial state is maintained. In the initial state, the first extension part 31 of the operating member 30 is located at the center of the separation part 42 of the rotary cam 40, and the first and second pressure rods 36 and 37 are the first and second parts. The doors 11 and 12 are kept spaced apart from the inner surface.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the user grabs or pulls the handle 14 of the first door 11 to open the first door 11, the driving motor 50 operates while the manipulation unit 16 is operated. do. At this time, as the rotary cam 40 rotates clockwise (first direction) by the operation of the driving motor 50, the protrusion 41 pushes the first extension 31 of the operating member 30, thereby operating the member ( 30) rotates counterclockwise (second direction). Therefore, at this time, since the first pressing rod 36 connected to the second extension part 32 moves forward, the first door 11 is easily opened because the first pressing rod 36 is pushed forward. As shown in FIG. 5, when the rotary cam 40 rotates 120 degrees clockwise to detect the magnet 43 provided on the protrusion 41, the driving motor 50 operates. Stop In this state, the rotary cam 40 is rotated 120 degrees, which is the same as the initial state. On the other hand, the operating member 30 is restored to its original state while being rotated in reverse by the elasticity of the return spring 25 at the moment when the pressure of the first extension portion 31 is released by the projecting portion 41 of the rotary cam 40.

Thus, the door opening device 20 can open the door only by the operation of the drive motor 50 rotates a predetermined section in one direction, and the door opening device 20 can be minimized since the initial state after the door is opened again. have. Therefore, it is possible to extend the life of the drive motor 50 and related parts.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the user grabs or pulls the handle 15 of the second door 12 to open the second door 12, the operation of the operation unit 17 is performed while the driving motor 50 is reversed. Direction. At this time, as the rotary cam 40 rotates counterclockwise (second direction) by the operation of the driving motor 50, the protrusion 41 pushes the first extension 31 of the operating member 30, thus operating member. 30 rotates clockwise (first direction). Therefore, at this time, since the second pressing rod 37 connected to the third extension part 33 moves forward, the second door 12 is easily opened because the second pressing rod 37 pushes the inner surface of the second door 12. After opening of the second door 12, the rotary cam 40 stops by rotating 120 degrees, and the operation member 30 is also restored to the initial state by the elasticity of the return spring 25. As such, the present invention can minimize the operation of the driving motor 50 because the driving motor 50 only needs to operate once in either direction when the doors 11 and 12 are opened.

Even when the first door 11 and the second door 12 are continuously opened, both the doors 11 and 12 are rotated only by the driving motor 50 rotating clockwise and then counterclockwise again. Can open Therefore, as compared with the related art, the number of operations of the driving motor 50 can be significantly reduced, and the two doors 11 and 12 can be opened quickly.

10 illustrates a refrigerator to which a door opening device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. The second embodiment is a refrigerator having one door 111. In this refrigerator, the door opening device 120 has a difference in that the third extension part of the operation member 130 is excluded in comparison with the first embodiment. That is, the operation member 130 includes only the first extension part 131, the second extension part 132, and the pressure rod 136 installed in the second extension part 132. In addition, in the second embodiment, only one door 111 needs to be opened, and thus the driving motor may continue to rotate in only one direction. Other configurations and operating principles are not significantly different from the above-described embodiments, and thus descriptions thereof will be omitted.

1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator to which a door opening device according to the present invention is applied.

2 is an exploded perspective view of the door opening apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a plan view of the refrigerator to which the door opening device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied, and shows a state in which the door is closed.

4 is a plan view of the refrigerator to which the door opening device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied, and shows a state in which the first door is opened by the door opening device.

5 is a plan view of the refrigerator to which the door opening device is applied according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows an operation of returning the operation member of the door opening device to an initial position.

6 is a plan view of the refrigerator to which the door opening device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied and shows a state in which the second door is opened by the door opening device.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII 'of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII 'of FIG. 3.

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII 'of FIG. 8.

10 is a plan view of the refrigerator to which the door opening device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: main body, 11: first door,

12: second door, 20: door opening device,

21: upper cover, 24: support shaft,

25: return spring, 30: operating member,

31: the first extension, 32: the second extension,

33: third extension, 34: first connecting shaft,

35: second connecting shaft, 36: first pressing rod,

37: second pressure rod, 38: roller,

40: rotary cam, 41: protrusion,

42: spacing, 43: magnet,

44: detection sensor, 50: drive motor,

60: rotation resistance unit.

Claims (9)

In the door opening device for selectively opening the first door and the second door, An actuating member for selectively opening the two doors by rotation; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spacers spaced apart from the operating member, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are alternately disposed in a rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam in a forward direction and a reverse direction; A restoring device for repositioning the operating member after the opening of at least one of the two doors; The actuating member may include a first extension part extending from the rotation center toward the rotary cam, second and third extension parts extending from both rotation directions in both directions crossing the first extension part, and a first connection shaft. A first pressure rod rotatably coupled to the second extension portion by the first extension rod and extending toward the inner surface of the first door, and rotatably coupled to the third extension portion by the second connecting shaft and extending toward the inner surface of the second door. Door opening device comprising a second pressing rod. The method of claim 1, The first and second connecting shafts are spaced apart from the center of rotation of the operating member, the door opening device, characterized in that disposed in a position biased toward the end of the first extension portion in contact with the rotary cam relative to the center of rotation of the operating member . The method of claim 1, The operation member is a door opening device, characterized in that the length of the first extension is longer than the length of the second and third extension. In the door opening device for opening the door, An operating member for opening the door by rotation; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spacers spaced apart from the operating member, and the protrusions and the spacer being alternately arranged in a rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam; And a restoring device for repositioning the operating member after the door is opened. The actuating member includes a first extension part extending from the rotation center toward the rotary cam, a second extension part extending from the rotation center toward the side intersecting the first extension part, and the second extension part by a connecting shaft. And a pressure rod rotatably coupled to the door and extending toward the inner surface of the door. The method of claim 4, wherein The connecting shaft is spaced apart from the center of rotation of the operating member, the door opening device, characterized in that disposed in a position biased toward the end of the first extension portion in contact with the rotary cam compared to the center of rotation of the operating member. The method of claim 4, wherein The operation member is a door opening device, characterized in that the length of the first extension is longer than the length of the second extension. A main body having a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment partitioned with each other, first and second doors for opening and closing the first and second storage compartments, and a door opening device for selectively opening the first and second doors; In the refrigerator, The door opening device includes an operation member for selectively opening the two doors by rotation; A rotating cam having a plurality of protrusions for rotating the operating member in contact with the operating member and a plurality of spacers spaced apart from the operating member, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are alternately disposed in a rotational direction; A drive motor for rotating the rotary cam in a forward direction and a reverse direction; A restoring device for repositioning the operating member after the opening of at least one of the two doors; The actuating member may include a first extension part extending from the rotation center toward the rotary cam, second and third extension parts extending from both rotation directions in both directions crossing the first extension part, and a first connection shaft. A first pressure rod rotatably coupled to the second extension portion by the first extension rod and extending toward the inner surface of the first door, and rotatably coupled to the third extension portion by the second connecting shaft and extending toward the inner surface of the second door. And a second pressurized rod. The method of claim 7, wherein And the first and second connection shafts are spaced apart from the center of rotation of the operating member, and are disposed in a position biased toward an end portion of the first extension part which contacts the rotary cam, compared to the center of rotation of the operating member. The method of claim 7, wherein The operating member is a refrigerator, characterized in that the length of the first extension is longer than the length of the second and third extension.

Images