KR20240022381A - Refrigerator and control mehod thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The refrigerator control method includes a first door opening step of opening the first door by driving the motor in the forward direction until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod when a user input is received at the first switch. ; Wow, a first door waiting step of waiting until a waiting time preset as the first reference waiting time elapses after the first door opening step; Wow, after the first door waiting step, the first push rod is A first door closing step of closing the first door by driving the motor in the reverse direction until a neutral position is reached; and a notification sound output step of outputting a notification sound through a speaker when a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step; Includes.

Description

Refrigerator and its control method {REFRIGERATOR AND CONTROL MEHOD THEREOF}

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a method of controlling the same, and more specifically, to a refrigerator equipped with a door opening device that opens the door and a method of controlling the same.

A refrigerator is a home appliance that keeps food fresh by having a main body having a storage compartment, a cold air supply device provided to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and a door provided to open and close the storage compartment.

Refrigerators are often equipped with a door opening device that helps you open the door easily. When the door is closed, the air inside the storage room cools, causing a temperature difference between the inside and outside of the storage room, which can lead to a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the storage room. Additionally, when the door is closed, the door is adhered to the main body through a gasket containing a magnet. Therefore, when opening the door, a lot of force may be required at the beginning of opening.

When the user operates the switch, the door opening device pushes the back of the door to open the door at a certain angle. Therefore, the user can open the door with little force.

One aspect of the present disclosure discloses a refrigerator having a door opening device capable of opening a plurality of doors arranged in the left and right directions and a method of controlling the same.

One aspect of the present disclosure includes a door opening device having a plurality of push rods movable to press the back of a plurality of doors, and a motor that provides driving force so that the plurality of push rods interlock with each other and move in opposite directions. Disclosed is a refrigerator and its control method.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a main body having a storage compartment, a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in the left and right directions, and an agent that presses the first door. A door opening device including a motor provided to move a push rod and a second push rod pressing the second door in opposite directions in conjunction with each other, a first switch and a second switch provided to receive a user input; A method of controlling a refrigerator including a speaker provided to generate a notification sound includes, when a user input is received at the first switch, operating the motor until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod. A first door opening step of opening the first door by driving in the forward direction; A first door waiting step of waiting until a waiting time preset as a first reference waiting time elapses after the first door opening step; And , a first door closing step of closing the first door by driving the motor in the reverse direction until the first push rod reaches the neutral position of the first push rod after the first door waiting step; and a notification sound that outputs a notification sound through the speaker when a user input is received by the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step. output stage; Includes.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step and the first door waiting step, the waiting time is changed from the first reference waiting time to the first standard. It can be changed to a second standard waiting time that is shorter than the waiting time.

According to one embodiment, the motor may be stopped during the first reference waiting time in the first door waiting phase.

According to one embodiment, the motor may be slightly moved in the reverse direction during the first reference waiting time in the first door waiting phase.

According to one embodiment, driving the motor may include driving the motor at a first reference driving speed.

According to one embodiment, slightly moving the motor may include driving the motor at a second reference driving speed that is slower than the first reference driving speed.

According to one embodiment, the first standard waiting time may be the sum of the second standard waiting time and the third standard waiting time.

According to one embodiment, the motor may be stopped during the second standard waiting time in the first door waiting step, and after the second standard waiting time has elapsed, the motor may be slightly moved in the reverse direction during the third standard waiting time. .

According to one embodiment, the first standard waiting time may be set by the user.

According to one embodiment, the second standard waiting time may be set by the user within a shorter range than the first standard waiting time.

According to one embodiment, the method of controlling the refrigerator is configured to: when a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step, A second door opening step of opening the second door by driving the motor in the reverse direction until the second push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the second push rod after the first door closing step; may further include.

According to one embodiment, the motor may be continuously driven without stopping between the first door closing step and the second door opening step.

According to one embodiment, the method of controlling the refrigerator includes a second door waiting step of determining whether the waiting time has elapsed after the second door opening step; may further include.

According to one embodiment, the method of controlling the refrigerator is to close the second door by driving the motor in the forward direction until the second push rod reaches the neutral position of the second push rod after the second door standby step. a second door closing step; may further include.

According to one embodiment, driving the motor in the reverse direction in the first door closing step and the second door opening step may include driving the motor in the reverse direction at a driving speed preset to a first reference driving speed. there is.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step and the first door waiting step, the driving speed is changed from the first reference driving speed to the first reference. It can be changed to a second standard driving speed that is faster than the driving speed.

According to one embodiment, a main body having a storage compartment, a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in the left and right directions, and a first push rod for pressing the first door. A door opening device including a motor provided to move in opposite directions in conjunction with a second push rod that pressurizes the second door, a first switch and a second switch provided to receive a user input, and a notification sound The method of controlling a refrigerator including a speaker provided to generate power includes, when a user input is received at the first switch, driving the motor in the forward direction until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod. a first door opening step of opening the first door; and a first door waiting step of waiting until a waiting time preset as a first reference waiting time elapses after the first door opening step; and a first door closing step of closing the first door by driving the motor in the reverse direction until the first push rod reaches the neutral position of the first push rod after the first door waiting step. may include.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step, the first door closing step and In the second door opening step, the speed at which the motor drives in the reverse direction may increase.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment; a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in left and right directions; and a rear surface of the first door. A first push rod movable to press, a second push rod movable to press the back of the second door, and the first push rod and the second push rod interlock with each other to move in opposite directions and in a forward/reverse direction A door opening device including a motor that can be driven by; A first switch provided to receive a user input for opening the first door; A second switch provided to receive a user input for opening the second door ;Wow, a speaker provided to output a notification sound; and a control unit that controls the motor and the speaker; may include.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the first switch, the control unit drives the motor in the forward direction until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod, and The motor is stopped or slightly moved in the reverse direction from the time the push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod until a waiting time preset as the first reference waiting time elapses, and when the waiting time elapses, the second The motor may be driven in the reverse direction until the first push rod reaches the neutral position of the first push rod.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the second switch while the motor is running in the forward direction, the motor is stopped or moving slightly in the reverse direction, or the motor is driving in the reverse direction, a notification sound is generated through the speaker. can be output.

According to one embodiment, when a user input is received at the second switch while the motor is running in the forward direction, the motor is stopped, or the motor is slightly moving in the reverse direction, the control unit changes the waiting time from the first reference waiting time. It can be changed to a second standard waiting time that is shorter than the first standard waiting time.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may further include a waiting time setting unit configured to receive input of the waiting time from the user.

According to one embodiment, the door opening device may include a position detection sensor that detects the position of one of the first push rod and the second push rod.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include an open/close sensor that detects whether the first door and the second door are opened or closed.

According to one embodiment, the control unit controls the position information of the first push rod and the second push rod detected by the position detection sensor, and the opening and closing of the first door and the second door detected by the opening/closing detection sensor. Based on the information, the motor may be driven to align the positions of the first push rod and the second push rod.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator includes a hinge provided at the bottom of the main body to rotatably support the first door; and a cam unit provided to close the first door by its own weight when the motor drives in the reverse direction and the first push rod moves from the maximum forward position of the first push rod to the neutral position of the first push rod, a cam unit including a door cam provided at a bottom of the first door and a hinge cam provided on the hinge to correspond to the door cam; may include.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of push rods for opening a plurality of doors are driven in conjunction with one motor, thereby reducing material costs and simplifying the assembly structure.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a command to withdraw the other push rod is input while one of the plurality of push rods is withdrawn and the other push rod is retracted, the user selects the other push rod. The time delay until the push rod is withdrawn may not be easily recognized.

The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. will be.

1 is a diagram illustrating the exterior of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the door of a refrigerator is opened and the door opening device is separated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the dotted line portion of FIG. 1 and is an enlarged view showing a handle of the first door and a switch of the first door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between a switch of a first door and a switch of a second door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 5 is a view showing the door and the front panel separated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 6 is a view showing the door and the front panel separated from another angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a side portion and a side cap of a door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the area around the lower hinge of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a cam unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a diagram illustrating the cam unit in a closed state of the door.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cam unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a diagram illustrating the cam unit in an open state (specifically, a state in which the push rod is at its maximum forward position).
Figure 11 is an exploded view of a door opening device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in a neutral position of the first push rod and the second push rod is in a neutral position of the second push rod.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum forward position and the second push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum backward position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum backward position and the second push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum forward position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 15 is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 16 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when the second switch is not turned on during the first door opening phase, the first door waiting phase, and the first door closing phase.
Figure 17 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a part of the control flowchart including a case where the second switch is turned on in the first door opening step.
FIG. 18 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a remaining portion of the control flowchart including a case where the second switch is turned on in the first door opening step.

The various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments.

In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components.

The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the present disclosure, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof.

The term “and/or” includes any element of a plurality of related described elements or a combination of a plurality of related described elements.

Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one element from another, and may be used to distinguish such elements in other respects, such as importance or order) is not limited.

In addition, terms such as 'front', 'rear', 'top', 'bottom', 'side', 'left', 'right', 'upper', and 'lower' used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings. and the shape and location of each component are not limited by this term.

Terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the present disclosure, but are not intended to include one or more other features, numbers, or steps. , does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact” with another component, this means not only when the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also when a third component This includes cases where it is indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or contacted through.

When a component is said to be located “on” another component, this includes not only cases where a component is in contact with another component, but also cases where another component exists between the two components.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment may include a main body.

The “main body” may include an inner box, an outer box disposed on the outside of the inner box, and an insulating material provided between the inner box and the outer box.

The “inner box” may include at least one of a case, plate, panel, or liner that forms the storage compartment. The inner case may be formed as a single body or may be formed by assembling a plurality of plates. The “outer case” may form the exterior of the main body and may be joined to the outside of the inner case such that an insulating material is disposed between the inner case and the outer case.

The “insulation material” can insulate the inside and outside of the storage room so that the temperature inside the storage room can be maintained at a set appropriate temperature without being affected by the environment outside the storage room. According to one embodiment, the insulation material may include a foam insulation material. A foam insulation material can be formed by injecting and foaming urethane foam mixed with polyurethane and a foaming agent between the inner and outer wounds.

According to one embodiment, the insulation material may include a vacuum insulation material in addition to the foam insulation material, or the insulation material may be composed of only a vacuum insulation material instead of the foam insulation material. The vacuum insulator may include a core material and an outer shell material that accommodates the core material and seals the interior with a vacuum or a pressure close to vacuum. However, the insulation material is not limited to the foam insulation material or vacuum insulation material described above and may include various materials that can be used for insulation.

“Storage room” may include a space defined by an internal container. The storage compartment may further include an inner box that defines a space corresponding to the storage compartment. A variety of items, such as food, medicine, and cosmetics, can be stored in the storage room, and the storage room can be formed so that at least one side is open for loading and unloading goods.

A refrigerator may include one or more storage compartments. When two or more storage compartments are formed in a refrigerator, each storage compartment can have a different purpose and be maintained at a different temperature. To this end, each storage compartment may be partitioned off from each other by a partition wall containing an insulating material.

The storage room may be maintained at an appropriate temperature range depending on the purpose, and may include a “refrigerator room,” “freezer room,” or “alternate temperature room” classified according to the use and/or temperature range. The refrigerator compartment can be maintained at an appropriate temperature for refrigerating products, and the freezer compartment can be maintained at an appropriate temperature for frozen storage of products. “Refrigeration” can mean cooling items to the point where they are cold without freezing. For example, a refrigerated room may be maintained in the range of 0 degrees Celsius to +7 degrees Celsius. “Freezing” can mean freezing or cooling an item to remain frozen, for example, a freezer may be maintained in a range of -20 degrees Celsius to -1 degree Celsius. The alternate temperature room can be used as either a refrigerator room or a freezer room, with or without the user's choice.

The storage room may be called by various names such as "vegetable room", "fresh room", "cooling room", and "ice-making room" in addition to names such as "refrigerator room", "freezer room", and "cold storage room", and is used hereinafter as "refrigerator room". Terms such as ", "freezing room" and "alternate temperature room" should be understood to encompass storage rooms with corresponding uses and temperature ranges, respectively.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include at least one door configured to open and close one open side of the storage compartment. A door may be provided to open and close one or more storage compartments, or a single door may be provided to open and close a plurality of storage compartments. The door may be rotatably or slidingly installed on the front of the main body.

The “door” may be configured to seal the storage compartment when the door is closed. The door may include insulation, like the body, to insulate the storage compartment when the door is closed.

According to one embodiment, the door may include a door outer plate forming the front of the door, a door inner plate forming the rear of the door and facing the storage room, an upper cap, a lower cap, and a door insulation provided inside them. there is.

A gasket may be provided on the edge of the inner plate of the door to seal the storage compartment by coming into close contact with the front of the main body when the door is closed. The door inner plate may include a dyke that protrudes rearward so that a door basket for storing items is mounted.

According to one embodiment, the door may include a door body and a front panel that is detachably coupled to the front of the door body and forms the front of the door. The door body may include a door outer plate that forms the front of the door body, a door inner plate that forms the rear of the door body and faces the storage room, an upper cap, a lower cap, and a door insulator provided inside them.

Refrigerators are classified into French Door Type, Side-by-Side Type, BMF (Bottom Mounted Freezer), TMF (Top Mounted Freezer), or 1-door refrigerator depending on the arrangement of the door and storage compartment. can be distinguished.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to a storage compartment.

A “cold air supply device” may include a machine, appliance, electronic device, and/or a combination system capable of generating cold air and directing cold air to cool a storage compartment.

According to one embodiment, the cold air supply device may generate cold air through a refrigeration cycle including compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation processes of the refrigerant. To this end, the cold air supply device may include a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator capable of driving the refrigeration cycle. According to one embodiment, the cold air supply device may include a semiconductor such as a thermoelectric element. Thermoelectric elements can cool the storage compartment by generating heat and cooling through the Peltier effect.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a machine room in which at least some parts belonging to the cold air supply device are arranged.

The “machine room” may be arranged to be partitioned and insulated from the storage room to prevent heat generated from parts placed in the machine room from being transferred to the storage room. The inside of the machine room may be configured to communicate with the outside of the main body to dissipate heat from the components placed inside the machine room.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a dispenser provided on the door to provide water and/or ice. The dispenser may be provided on the door so that the user can access it without opening the door.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include an ice-making device that produces ice. The ice making device may include an ice making tray that stores water, an ice moving device that separates ice from the ice making tray, and an ice bucket that stores ice generated in the ice making tray.

According to one embodiment, a refrigerator may include a control unit for controlling the refrigerator.

The “control unit” may include a memory that stores or remembers programs and/or data for controlling the refrigerator, and a processor that outputs control signals for controlling cold air supply devices, etc. according to the programs and/or data stored in the memory. You can.

Memory stores or records various information, data, commands, programs, etc. necessary for the operation of the refrigerator. The memory can store temporary data generated while generating control signals for controlling components included in the refrigerator. The memory may include at least one of volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof.

The processor controls the overall operation of the refrigerator. The processor can control the components of the refrigerator by executing programs stored in memory. The processor may include a separate NPU that performs the operations of the artificial intelligence model. Additionally, the processor may include a central processing unit, a graphics processor (GPU), etc. The processor may generate a control signal to control the operation of the cold air supply. For example, the processor may receive temperature information of the storage compartment from a temperature sensor and generate a cooling control signal to control the operation of the cold air supply device based on the temperature information of the storage compartment.

Additionally, the processor may process user input of the user interface and control the operation of the user interface according to programs and/or data memorized/stored in the memory. The user interface may be provided using an input interface and an output interface. The processor may receive user input from a user interface. Additionally, the processor may transmit a display control signal and image data for displaying an image on the user interface to the user interface in response to a user input.

The processor and memory may be provided integrally or may be provided separately. A processor may include one or more processors. For example, the processor may include a main processor and at least one subprocessor. The memory may include one or more memories.

According to one embodiment, a refrigerator may include a processor and a memory that control all of the components included in the refrigerator, and may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories that individually control the components of the refrigerator. For example, a refrigerator may include a processor and memory that control the operation of a cold air supply device according to the output of a temperature sensor. Additionally, the refrigerator may be separately equipped with a processor and memory that control the operation of the user interface according to user input.

The communication module can communicate with external devices such as servers, mobile devices, and other home appliances through a nearby access point (AP). An access repeater (AP) can connect a local area network (LAN) to which a refrigerator or user device is connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which a server is connected. The refrigerator or user device may be connected to the server via a wide area network (WAN).

The input interface may include keys, a touch screen, a microphone, etc. The input interface can receive user input and pass it to the processor.

The output interface may include a display, a speaker, etc. The output interface can output various notifications, messages, information, etc. generated by the processor.

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

1 is a diagram illustrating the exterior of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the door of a refrigerator is opened and the door opening device is separated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the dotted line portion of FIG. 1 and is an enlarged view showing a handle of the first door and a switch of the first door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between a switch of a first door and a switch of a second door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment includes a main body 10, storage chambers 13 and 14 formed inside the main body 10, and a device for opening and closing the storage chambers 13 and 14. It may include doors 31 and 32 and a cold air supply device (not shown) that supplies cold air to the storage compartments 13 and 14.

The main body 10 includes an inner case 11 that forms the storage compartments 13 and 14, an outer case 12 that is coupled to the outside of the inner case 11 to form the exterior, and an inner case (11) to insulate the storage compartments 13 and 14. It may include an insulating material (not shown) provided between 11) and the outer case 12.

The storage rooms 13 and 14 may be divided into a left storage room 13 and a right storage room 14 by a vertical partition 15. The storage compartment 13 on the left can be used as a freezer, and the storage compartment 14 on the right can be used as a freezer. However, the division and use of the storage compartments 13 and 14 as described above is only an example and is not limited thereto.

Inside the storage rooms 13 and 14, a shelf 16 for placing items and a storage container 17 for storing items may be provided.

The cold air supply device generates cold air using a cooling circulation cycle that compresses, condenses, expands, and evaporates the refrigerant, and supplies the generated cold air to the storage chambers 13 and 14.

The refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment may include doors 21 and 22 that open and close the storage compartments 13 and 14. The door 21 on the left can open and close the storage compartment 13 on the left, and the door 22 on the right can open and close the storage compartment 14 on the right.

The doors 21 and 22 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The main body 10 may be provided with hinges 23, 24, and 25 to rotatably couple the doors 21 and 22 to the main body 10. The left door 21 can be rotatably coupled to the main body 10 by the left upper hinge 23 and the left lower hinge 24. The door 22 on the right side can be rotatably coupled to the upper right hinge 25 and the lower right hinge (not shown).

On the back of the doors 21 and 22, there is a door shelf 26 for storing food, and a door that can be in close contact with the front of the main body 10 to seal the storage compartments 13 and 14 when the doors 21 and 22 are closed. A gasket 27 may be provided. The door gasket 27 includes a magnet and can be brought into close contact with the front of the main body 10 through magnetic force. Front panels 31 and 32 may be coupled to the front of the doors 21 and 22. The front panels 31 and 32 may be detachably coupled to the front surfaces of the doors 21 and 22.

A top table 2 may be provided on the upper surface of the main body 10. The top table 2 covers at least a portion of the upper hinges 23 and 25 and can prevent the upper hinges 23 and 25 from being exposed to the outside.

A door opening device 100 may be provided inside the top table 2 to open the doors 21 and 22. A door opening device accommodating portion (3) in which the door opening device (100) can be accommodated is formed on the bottom of the top table (2), and the door opening device (100) can be accommodated in the door opening device accommodating portion (3). there is. The door opening device 100 may be coupled to the bottom of the top table 2 to be accommodated in the door opening device receiving portion 3. The door opening device 100 may be coupled to the bottom of the top table 2 through a fastening member 6. The top table 2 may be coupled to the upper surface of the main body 10 with the door opening device 100 coupled to the top table 2.

Open/close detection sensors 141 and 142 may be provided inside the top table 2 to detect the opening and closing of the doors 21 and 22. The opening/closing detection sensors 141 and 142 may include a Hall sensor that detects changes in the magnetic field and generates a voltage. The doors 21 and 22 may be provided with magnets (not shown) that can be detected by the open/close sensors 141 and 142. However, the opening/closing detection sensors 141 and 142 are not limited to this and may include various types of sensors such as optical sensors and proximity sensors.

The door opening device 100 can open the doors 21 and 22 by pushing the rear surfaces of the doors 21 and 22 forward. The door opening device 100 opens the doors 21 and 22 to a certain extent, allowing the user to open the doors 21 and 22 with little force. The door opening device 100 may include movable push rods 111 and 112. The push rods 111 and 112 may include a first push rod 111 that opens the first door 21 and a second push rod 112 that opens the second door 22 .

Rod holes 5 through which the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 pass may be formed in the front surface 4 of the top table 2.

A recessed first handle 61 may be formed on the side 43a of the first door 21 so that the user can insert his/her hand and hold it. The first handle 61 is formed to be recessed in the side surface 43a of the first door 21, but may not be formed in the entire section between the top and bottom of the first door 21, but only in a portion of the section.

A recessed second handle 261 may be formed on the side 243a of the second door 22 so that the user can insert his/her hand and hold it. The second handle 261 is formed to be recessed in the side surface 243a of the second door 22, but may not be formed in the entire section between the top and bottom of the second door 22, but only in a portion of the section.

The side 243a of the second door 22 may be formed to have a step (FIG. 12). That is, the gap between the front part 243b of the side 243a of the second door 22 and the side 43a of the first door 21 is the rear part of the side 243a of the second door 22 ( It may be formed to be larger than the gap between 243c) and the side surface 43a of the first door 21. Therefore, hold your hand with the first handle 61 and the second handle 261 between the front part 243b of the side 243a of the second door 22 and the side 43a of the first door 21. A space 28 can be formed into which it can be inserted. The second handle 261 may be formed on the front portion 243b of the side 243a of the second door 22.

The door opening device 100 may be operated through switches 70 and 270. The user can operate the door opening device 100 by manipulating the switches 70 and 270. According to one embodiment, the switches 70 and 270 may be operated by the user's touch.

The switches 70 and 270 may include a first switch 70 provided on the first door 21 and a second switch 270 provided on the second door 22. The first switch 70 may operate the door opening device 100 so that the door opening device 100 opens the first door 21 . The second switch 270 may operate the door opening device 100 so that the door opening device 100 opens the second door 22 .

That is, the first switch 70 can operate the door opening device 100 so that the first push rod 111 moves forward and the second push rod 112 moves backward. The first push rod 111 moves forward and pressurizes the first door 21, thereby opening the first door 21. The second switch 270 may operate the door opening device 100 so that the first push rod 111 moves backward and the second push rod 112 moves forward. The second push rod 112 moves forward and presses the second door 22, thereby opening the second door 22.

The first switch 70 may be provided on the side 43a of the first door 21. The first switch 70 may be located in front of the first handle 61 on the side 43a of the first door 21. Accordingly, the first switch 70 may be touched at the same time as the user grasps the first handle 61 with his hand.

At least a portion of the first switch 70 may be provided to protrude from the side 43a of the first door 21. Due to this structure, the user can hold the first handle 61 more comfortably.

The second switch 270 may be provided on the side 243a of the second door 22. The second switch 270 may be located in front of the second handle 261 on the side 243a of the second door 22. Accordingly, the second switch 270 may be touched at the same time as the user grasps the second handle 261 with his hand.

At least a portion of the second switch 270 may be provided to protrude from the side 243a of the second door 22. Due to this structure, the user can hold the second handle 261 more comfortably.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heights of the first switch 70 and the second switch 270 may be different from each other. That is, the height of the first switch 70 and the height of the second switch 270 may differ by a predetermined height (H).

Since the height of the first switch 70 and the second switch 270 are different, unintentional touching of either the first switch 70 or the second switch 270 can be prevented, and the door opening can be prevented. The device 100 can be prevented from malfunctioning.

Figure 5 is a view showing the door and the front panel separated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 is a view showing the door and the front panel separated from another angle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a side portion and a side cap of a door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 , doors 21 and 22 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Since the structures of the first door 21 and the second door 22 are almost similar, the first door 21 will be described below and the description of the second door 22 will be omitted.

The door 21 includes a door front portion 40 forming the front of the door 21, a door side portion 43 forming the side of the door 21, and a door rear portion forming the rear of the door 21 ( 49) may be included.

According to one embodiment, the door front part 40 and the door side part 43 may be formed as one piece. For example, the door front portion 40 and the door side portion 43 may be formed by bending a single metal plate.

According to one embodiment, the door front part 40 and the door side part 43 may be formed separately from each other. The door front portion 40 and the door side portion 43 may be coupled to each other.

A handle opening 44 and a switch opening 45 may be formed in the door side portion 43. According to one embodiment, the handle opening 44 and the switch opening 45 may be formed separately and spaced apart from each other. The handle opening 44 may be formed larger than the switch opening 45. However, there is no limitation to the sizes of the handle opening 44 and the switch opening 45. The handle opening 44 may be formed behind the switch opening 45.

According to one embodiment, the handle opening 44 and the switch opening 45 may be formed to be connected to each other.

The door 21 may include a side cap 60 coupled to the inner surface of the door side portion 43. The side cap 60 may be coupled to the door side portion 43 to cover the handle opening 44 and the switch opening 45. Since the side cap 60 is coupled to the inner surface of the door side portion 43, the foaming liquid will not leak through the handle opening 44 and the switch opening 45 when foaming the insulation material in the inner space of the door 21. You can.

The side cap 60 may be injection molded from a plastic material. Since the side cap 60 is injection molded from a plastic material, various shapes can be easily formed on the side cap 60. For example, the handle 61 may be formed to be recessed in the side cap 60. Additionally, a switch mounting space 62 in which the switch 70 is mounted may be formed in the side cap 60.

The handle 61 may be formed to have a size and shape that generally corresponds to the handle opening 44. Handle 61 may be accessible through handle opening 44 . The switch mounting space 62 may be formed to have a size and shape that generally corresponds to the switch opening 45.

The door rear portion 49 may be coupled to the door side portion 43. A door gasket 27 (FIG. 2) may be provided on the edge of the door rear portion 49. The door rear portion 49 includes a dyke protruding rearward, and a door shelf 26 (FIG. 2) may be mounted on the dyke.

The door 21 may include an upper cap 50 and a lower cap 56. The door front part 40, both door side parts 43, the door rear part 49, the upper cap 50, and the lower cap 56 may be combined to form an internal space. A door insulation material may be provided in the interior space.

The upper cap 50 and lower cap 56 may each be injection molded from a plastic material. A structure for detachably coupling the front panel 31 to the front of the door 21 may be formed on the upper cap 50 and the lower cap 56.

The switch 70 may be mounted in the switch mounting space 62 formed in the side cap 60. The switch 70 can be inserted into the switch mounting space 62 through the switch opening 45 formed in the door side portion 43.

The switch 70 may receive a user input for operating the door opening device 100. The switch 70 can receive user input by the user's touch. That is, when the user touches the switch 70, the switch 70 may generate a signal that operates the door opening device 100.

The switch 70 may include a touch switch that generates a door opening signal according to a change in capacitance. However, the switch 70 may include a variety of switches other than those that detect changes in capacitance due to touch. According to one embodiment, the switch 70 may include a mechanical push switch, such as a button type, dial type, or toggle type. The switch may include a non-contact switch. That is, the switch may include a reed switch operated by a magnet, a proximity sensor switch including a proximity sensor, and a TOF switch including a TOF sensor using an infrared wavelength.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include front panels 31 and 32 that can be detachably coupled to the front surfaces of the doors 21 and 22. Since the front panel 31 and the front panel 32 have the same or mostly similar configuration, only the front panel 31 will be described.

The front panel 31 may be detachably coupled to the front of the door 21. The front panel 31 may include a panel body 33, an upper trim 34 provided on the upper rear side of the panel body 33, and a lower trim 38 provided on the lower rear side of the panel body 33. You can. The upper trim 34 may be provided long along the upper edge of the panel body 33. The lower trim 38 may be provided long along the lower edge of the panel body 33.

The upper trim 34 and lower trim 38 may each be provided separately from the panel body 33 and attached to the panel body 33 through an adhesive. However, the upper trim 34 and lower trim 38 may be formed integrally with the panel body 33.

When the front panel 31 is coupled to the door 21, the lower trim 38 may be supported by the lower cap 56. When the front panel 31 is coupled to the door 21, the upper trim 34 can be coupled to the upper cap 50 through the fixer 55. When the front panel 31 is coupled to the door 21, the upper trim 34 can be inserted into the interior of the upper cap 50 through the trim opening 53 of the upper cap 50. When the front panel 31 is coupled to the door 21, the fixer 55 may be coupled to the upper trim 34 through the fixer opening 54 formed on the upper side of the upper cap 50. With this configuration, the front panel 31 can be detachably coupled to the door 21.

The front panel 31 may include a magnet 37 for coupling to the door 21. The magnet 37 may be provided to extend vertically on the left and right edges of the panel body 33. The magnet 37 may be in close contact with the front part of the door 40 made of metal through magnetic force.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the area around the lower hinge of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a cam unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a diagram illustrating the cam unit in a closed state of the door. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cam unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a diagram illustrating the cam unit in an open state (specifically, a state in which the push rod is at its maximum forward position).

A cam unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 includes a cam unit 180 that automatically closes the doors 21 and 22. Since the cam unit 180 is applicable to both the first door 21 and the second door 22, only the cam unit 180 of the first door 21 will be described, and the cam unit of the second door 22 ( 180), the explanation is omitted.

The cam unit 180 can close the door 21 by itself when the door 21 is opened below a predetermined opening angle and no external force is applied. The cam unit 180 can cause the door 21 to close on its own due to its own weight.

The cam unit 180 may include a door cam 181 provided on the lower part of the door 21 and a hinge cam 191 provided on the lower hinge 24. The door cam 181 may be fixed to the lower part of the door 21, and the hinge cam 191 may be fixed to the lower hinge 24. When the door 21 rotates, the door cam 181 may also rotate on the hinge cam 191. A leg 199 may be provided below the lower hinge 24 to support the load of the main body 10.

On the upper surface of the hinge cam 191, hinge cam peaks 192 and hinge cam valleys 193 are formed alternately along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis (X) of the door 21, and the bottom surface of the door cam 181 Door cam valleys 183 and door cam peaks 182 may be formed alternately to correspond to the hinge cam peaks 192 and hinge cam valleys 193.

When the door 21 is closed, the door cam ridge 182 may be engaged with the hinge cam valley 193, and the door cam valley 183 may be engaged with the hinge cam ridge 192 (FIG. 9).

When the door 21 rotates in the opening direction (R) around the rotation axis (X), the door cam 181 may also rotate together. As the door cam 181 rotates, the door cam 181 may rise on the inclined surface 194 between the hinge cam valley 193 and the hinge cam peak 192.

When the external force acting on the door 21 disappears while the lowest part 182a of the door cam ridge does not reach the highest part 192a of the hinge cam ridge, the door 21 is forced downward by its own weight. Accordingly, the door cam 181 rotates in a direction opposite to the opening direction R along the inclined surface 194 between the hinge cam peak 192 and the hinge cam valley 193, so that the door 21 can be closed.

Figure 11 is an exploded view of a door opening device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in a neutral position of the first push rod and the second push rod is in a neutral position of the second push rod. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum forward position and the second push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum backward position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum backward position and the second push rod of the door opening device is in the maximum forward position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

11 to 14, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the door opening device 100 includes cases 101 and 102, motors 105 provided inside the cases 101 and 102, and a motor A pair of push rods (111, 112) that are provided to move forward and backward by the driving force generated by (105), and a transmission gear assembly that transmits the driving force of the motor (105) to the pair of push rods (111, 112) It may include (107).

The cases 101 and 102 may include an upper case 101 and a lower case 102 coupled to the lower part of the upper case 101. A motor 105 and a transmission gear assembly 107 may be accommodated inside the cases 101 and 102. Parts of the push rods 111 and 112 may be provided to penetrate the cases 101 and 102 and protrude out of the cases 101 and 102.

A pair of push rods 111 and 112 may be provided to move forward and backward, respectively. A pair of push rods 111 and 112 may be arranged to move in opposite directions at the same time. A pair of push rods 111 and 112 may be arranged to move at the same speed in opposite directions.

A pair of movement guides 103 and 104 may be provided inside the cases 101 and 102 to guide the movement of the pair of push rods 111 and 112. A pair of push rods 111 and 112 are movably coupled to a pair of movement guides 103 and 104, respectively, and may be capable of moving in a forward and backward direction along the movement guides 103 and 104. A pair of movement guides 103 and 104 may be arranged parallel to each other.

The motor 105 may be a motor capable of driving in the forward and reverse directions. Motor 105 may include a DC step motor. A motor gear 106 may be provided on the motor shaft of the motor 105 to rotate together with the motor shaft. The rotational force of the motor gear 106 may be transmitted to a pair of pinion gears 108 and 109 through the transmission gear assembly 107.

The push rods 111 and 112 may be provided with rack gears 113 and 114 engaged with the pinion gears 108 and 109. The rotational motion of the pinion gears 108 and 109 can be converted to the linear motion of the rack gears 113 and 114.

The first rack gear 113 moves forward when the first pinion gear 108 rotates counterclockwise, and the first push rod 111 moves forward when the first pinion gear 108 rotates clockwise. The rod 111 may be meshed with the first pinion gear 108 to move backward.

The second rack gear 114 moves backward when the second pinion gear 109 rotates counterclockwise, and the second push rod 112 moves backward when the second pinion gear 109 rotates clockwise. The rod 112 may be meshed with the second pinion gear 109 to move forward.

The transmission gear assembly 107 may include at least one transmission gear 107a, 107b, and 107c. There is no limit to the number of transmission gears included in the transmission gear assembly 107. The transmission gears 107a, 107b, and 107c may have the form of two-stage spur gears to reduce the rotational force of the motor 105 and transmit it to a pair of pinion gears 108 and 109. That is, the transmission gears 107a, 107b, and 107c may be composed of an upper spur gear and a lower spur gear having a smaller radius than the upper spur gear.

The motor gear 106 and the upper spur gear of the first transmission gear 107a are meshed, the lower spur gear of the first transmission gear 107a and the upper spur gear of the second transmission gear 107b are meshed, and the second The lower spur gear of the transmission gear 107b and the upper spur gear of the third transmission gear 107c may be meshed. The lower spur gear of the third transmission gear 107c may be meshed with the first pinion gear 108 and the second pinion gear 109. The first pinion gear 108 and the second pinion gear 109 may be meshed with the left and right sides of the third transmission gear 107c, respectively. Therefore, when the third transmission gear 107c rotates, the first pinion gear 108 and the second pinion gear 109 may rotate in different directions.

The door opening device 100 may include a position sensor 130 that detects the positions of the push rods 111 and 112. The position sensor 130 may include a Hall sensor that detects a change in a magnetic field and generates a voltage. A magnet 120 that can be detected by a position sensor 130 may be provided on any one of the plurality of push rods 111 and 112 .

However, the position sensor 130 is not limited to this and may include various types of sensors such as optical sensors and proximity sensors.

As described above, the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 move at the same speed in opposite directions, so any of the positions of the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 By detecting just one, the location of the other can be determined. Accordingly, it may be sufficient for the position sensor 130 and the magnet 120 to detect the position of only one of the plurality of push rods 111 and 112.

The door opening device 100 may open the first door 21 or the second door 22 depending on the driving direction of the motor 105 (i.e., the rotation direction of the motor shaft). For example, when the motor 105 rotates in the forward direction (for example, counterclockwise when viewed from above), the first push rod 111 of the door opening device 100 moves forward to open the first door 21. You can do it. When the motor 105 rotates in the reverse direction (eg, clockwise when viewed from above), the second push rod 112 of the door opening device 100 moves forward to open the second door 22.

The driving direction of the motor 105 may be determined according to the operation of the switches 70 and 270. For example, when the first switch 70 is operated, the motor 105 may be driven in the forward direction so that the first door 21 is opened. When the second switch 270 is operated, the motor 105 can be driven in the reverse direction so that the second door 22 is opened.

The first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 may initially each be in a neutral position (FIG. 12).

When the motor 105 is driven in the forward direction with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the first push rod 111 moves forward and the second push rod 112 moves forward. You can go backwards. The first push rod 111 may open the first door 21 by pushing the first door 21 while moving forward.

The first push rod 111 can advance to the maximum forward position of the first push rod and the second push rod 112 can move backward to the maximum backward position of the second push rod (FIG. 13). When the first push rod 111 is at its maximum forward position, the second push rod 112 may be at its maximum backward position.

When the first push rod 111 is at its maximum forward position, the opening angle of the door 21 is such that the lowest part 182a of the door cam ridge does not reach the highest part 192a of the hinge cam ridge. It can be an angle (Figure 10). Therefore, in this state, when the first push rod 111 moves backward, the door 21 can be closed by itself by the cam unit 180.

When the first push rod 111 is at the maximum forward position of the first push rod and the second push rod 112 is at the maximum backward position of the second push rod 112, the motor 105 is driven in the reverse direction. The first push rod 111 may move backward and the second push rod 112 may move forward.

The first push rod 111 moves backward and the second push rod 112 moves forward, so that the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 can return to their respective neutral positions.

When the motor 105 is driven in the reverse direction with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the first push rod 111 moves backward and the second push rod 112 moves backward. You can move forward. The second push rod 112 may open the second door 21 by pushing the second door 21 while moving forward.

The first push rod 111 can move backward to the maximum backward position of the first push rod, and the second push rod 112 can move forward to the maximum forward position of the second push rod (FIG. 14). When the first push rod 111 is at the maximum backward position of the first push rod, the second push rod 112 may be at the maximum forward position of the second push rod.

Figure 15 is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when the second switch is not turned on during the first door opening phase, the first door waiting phase, and the first door closing phase.

With reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 , a method of controlling a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

Hereinafter, the case where the first switch 70 is turned on (i.e., when a user input is received) while the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 are each in a neutral position will be described. Even when the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 are each in a neutral position and the second switch 270 is turned on, they can be controlled correspondingly.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 operates the motor 105 according to the user input received by the switches 70 and 270 and the position information of the push rods 111 and 112 detected through the position sensor 130. and a control unit 150 that controls the speaker 160.

When the first switch 70 is turned on with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the control unit 150 may output a notification sound through the speaker 160. There is (S11). By outputting a notification sound through the speaker 160, the user can recognize that the door opening device 100 has started operating.

When the first switch 70 is turned on with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the control unit 150 can drive the motor 105 in the forward direction ( S12). As the motor 105 drives in the forward direction, the first push rod 111 can move forward and the second push rod 112 can move backward. As the first push rod 111 moves forward, the first door 21 may be pushed to open the first door 21 .

The control unit 150 may determine whether the position of the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position through the position detection sensor 130 (S13).

The control unit 150 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it stops the motor 105 or the motor 105 ) can be slightly moved in the reverse direction (S14).

As described above, when the first push rod 111 is at the maximum forward position, the opening angle of the first door 21 is such that the lowest part 182a of the door cam ridge reaches the highest part 192a of the hinge cam ridge. It may be an angle that was not achieved (Figure 10).

Stopping the motor 105 may mean completely stopping the driving of the motor 105.

Slight movement of the motor 105 may mean that the motor 105 is driven weakly. According to one embodiment, if the driving speed when the motor 105 is generally driven is called the first reference driving speed, the driving speed when the motor 105 is not moving can be said to be a second reference driving speed that is slower than the first standard driving speed. there is. For example, the first reference driving speed may be 60 percent of the maximum speed of the motor 105, and the second reference driving speed may be 10 percent or less of the maximum speed of the motor 105.

The control unit 105 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it turns on the timer to set the elapsed time (T) to ' It can be set to 0' (S15).

The control unit 105 checks whether the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the waiting time (S16). The waiting time may be preset as the first reference waiting time (T1).

In steps S14 to S16, the motor 105 may stop throughout the waiting time, or the motor 105 may slightly move in the reverse direction throughout the waiting time.

Alternatively, the motor 105 may stop for part of the waiting time and move slightly in the reverse direction for the remaining part. For example, the motor 105 stops during a second reference waiting time (T2), which will be described later, and when the second reference waiting time (T2) elapses, the first reference waiting time (T1) and the second reference waiting time (T2) It may slightly move in the reverse direction during the third standard waiting time, which is the difference between . For example, the first standard waiting time (T1) may be 1 second, and the second standard waiting time (T2) and the third standard waiting time may each be 0.5 seconds.

However, this first standard waiting time (T1) may be set by the user. Additionally, the second standard waiting time (T2) may also be set by the user in a shorter range than the first standard waiting time (T1). To this end, the refrigerator 1 may include a waiting time setting unit 145 so that the user can set the first standard waiting time (T1) and/or the second standard waiting time (T2).

In this way, in steps S14 to S16, the motor 105 stops or moves slightly in the reverse direction, so that the first push rod 111 can stop or slowly move backwards. Accordingly, time for the user to hold the handle 61 and pull the first door 21 can be secured. Additionally, when the user does not pull the first door 21, the first door 21 can be closed smoothly, and noise and energy consumption due to a sudden change in direction of the motor 105 can be reduced.

When the control unit 105 confirms that the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the first reference waiting time (T1), it drives the motor 105 in the reverse direction (S17). When the motor 105 drives in the reverse direction, the first push rod 111 moves backward, so the first door 21 can be closed by itself by the cam unit 180. In this way, if the user does not pull the first door 21 for a predetermined waiting time, the first door 21 may close by itself again. Accordingly, leakage of cold air from the storage compartment can be prevented.

The control unit 150 may detect the position of the first push rod 111 through the position sensor 130 and determine whether the first push rod 111 has returned to the neutral position (S18).

The control unit 150 may stop the motor 105 when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the neutral position (S19).

As such, according to one embodiment, the control method of the refrigerator 1 includes a first door opening step (S12 to S13), a first door waiting step (S14 to S16), and a first door closing step (S17 to S18). ) may include.

In the first door opening steps (S12 to S13), the motor 105 is driven in the forward direction until the first push rod 110 reaches the maximum forward position to open the first door 21.

In the first door waiting steps (S14 to S16), the user may wait to pull the first door 21 until a waiting time preset as the first reference waiting time (T1) elapses.

In the first door closing steps (S17 to S18), the first door 21 may be closed by driving the motor 105 in the reverse direction until the first push rod 111 returns to the neutral position.

Figure 17 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a part of the control flowchart including a case where the second switch is turned on in the first door opening step. FIG. 18 is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a remaining portion of the control flowchart including a case where the second switch is turned on in the first door opening step.

According to one embodiment, the refrigerator control method includes any one of a first door opening step (S22 to S24), a first door waiting step (S25 to S27), and a first door closing step (S28 to S29). The step may include a notification sound output step (S31) of outputting a notification sound through the speaker 160 when a user input is received at the second switch 270.

In addition, the refrigerator control method is such that when a user input is received at the second switch 270 in any one of the first door opening steps (S22 to S24) and the first door waiting steps (S25 to S27), the waiting time can be changed from the first standard waiting time (T1) to the second standard waiting time (T2). The second standard waiting time (T2) may be shorter than the first standard waiting time (T1).

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112, which are interlocked to move in opposite directions, are moved through one motor 150, the first push rod 111 ) is in a forward and withdrawn state, the second push rod 112 is in a backward and retracted state. Therefore, when a user input is received at the second switch 270 while the first push rod 111 is withdrawn, it may take time for the second push rod 112 to move forward to open the second door 22. .

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to make it difficult for the user to recognize the time delay by using the control method for outputting the notification sound and shortening the waiting time.

As an example, referring to FIGS. 17 and 18 , a control method when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24) will be described.

Detailed descriptions may be omitted for steps similar or identical to the control method described above.

When the first switch 70 is turned on with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the control unit 150 may output a notification sound through the speaker 160. There is (S21). Accordingly, the user can recognize that the door opening device 100 starts operating.

When the first switch 70 is turned on with the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 each in a neutral position, the control unit 150 can drive the motor 105 in the forward direction ( S22). As the motor 105 drives in the forward direction, the first push rod 111 can move forward and the second push rod 112 can move backward. As the first push rod 111 moves forward, the first door 21 may be pushed to open the first door 21 .

The control unit 150 may determine whether the position of the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position through the position detection sensor 130 (S24).

The control unit 150 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it stops the motor 105 or the motor 105 ) can be slightly moved in the reverse direction (S25).

The control unit 105 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it turns on the timer to set the elapsed time (T) to ' It can be set to 0' (S26).

The control unit 105 checks whether the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the waiting time (S27). The waiting time may be preset as the first reference waiting time (T1).

When the control unit 105 confirms that the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the first reference waiting time (T1), it drives the motor 105 in the reverse direction (S28).

The control unit 150 may detect the position of the first push rod 111 through the position sensor 130 and determine whether the first push rod 111 has returned to the neutral position (S29).

The control unit 150 may stop the motor 105 when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the neutral position (S30).

As such, according to one embodiment, the control method of the refrigerator 1 includes a first door opening step (S22 to S24), a first door waiting step (S25 to S27), and a first door closing step (S28 to S29). ) may include.

The control unit 150 may determine whether a user input has been received through the second switch 270 in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24) (S23). If no user input is received through the second switch 270 in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24), step S25 is entered, and the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24). If user input is received, step S31 can be entered.

When a user input is received through the second switch 270 in the first door opening step (S22 to S24), the control unit 150 may output a notification sound through the speaker 160 (S31). As a result, the user may perceive that the door opening device 100 has started operating, and it may be difficult to recognize the delay time until the second door 22 is actually opened.

Additionally, the control unit 150 may change the waiting time from the first standard waiting time (T1) to the second standard waiting time (T2). The second standard waiting time (T2) may be shorter than the first standard waiting time (T1). As a result, the delay time until the second door 22 is opened can actually be reduced.

After step S31, the control unit 150 may determine whether the position of the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position through the position detection sensor 130 (S32).

The control unit 150 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it stops the motor 105 or the motor 105 ) can be slightly moved in the reverse direction (S33).

The control unit 105 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum forward position, it turns on the timer to set the elapsed time (T) to ' It can be set to 0' (S34).

The control unit 105 determines whether the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the waiting time (S35). Since the waiting time has changed from the first standard waiting time (T2) to the second standard waiting time (T2), the control unit 105 determines whether the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the second standard waiting time (T2). You can.

In this way, when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24), the first door 21 is set to a second reference waiting time (T2) in the first door waiting steps (S33 to S35). ) can wait. In the first door waiting stages (S33 to S35), the motor 105 may stop or slightly move in the reverse direction.

When the control unit 105 determines that the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the second reference waiting time (T2), it drives the motor 105 in the reverse direction (S36).

The control unit 150 may detect the position of the first push rod 111 through the position sensor 130 and determine whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum reverse position (S37). That is, the control unit 150 may determine whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum reverse position without determining whether the first push rod 111 has reached the neutral position.

When it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum reverse position, the control unit 150 may stop the motor 105 or slightly move it in the forward direction (S38).

With the above control method, the first push rod 111 can move directly from the maximum forward position to the maximum reverse position without stopping at the neutral position.

The control unit 105 determines whether the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum reverse position, and when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the maximum reverse position, it turns on the timer to set the elapsed time (T) to ' It can be set to 0' (S39). At this time, the waiting time may be reset to the first reference waiting time (T1).

The control unit 105 determines whether the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the waiting time (S40).

When the control unit 105 confirms that the elapsed time (T) of the timer has elapsed the first reference waiting time (T1), it drives the motor 105 in the forward direction (S41).

The control unit 150 may detect the position of the first push rod 111 through the position sensor 130 and determine whether the first push rod 111 has returned to the neutral position (S42).

The control unit 150 may stop the motor 105 when it is confirmed that the first push rod 111 has reached the neutral position (S43).

In this way, when a user input is received at the second switch 270 in the first door opening step (S22 to S24), the control method of the refrigerator 1 includes a notification sound output step (S31) and a first door standby step. (S33 to S35), a first door closing step and a second door opening step (S36 to S37), a second door waiting step (S38 to S40), and a second door closing step (S41 to S42). You can.

The first door closing step and the second door opening step (S36 to S37) may be performed continuously. Between the first door closing phase and the second door opening phase, the motor 105 may be driven continuously without stopping.

Meanwhile, as described above in the control method, since the positions of the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 correspond to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, the control unit 150 sets the first push rod 111 to the maximum forward position. Determining that the second push rod 112 is in the maximum backward position is equivalent to determining that the first push rod 111 is in the maximum backward position, and determining that the second push rod 112 is in the maximum forward position is equivalent to determining that the second push rod 112 is in the maximum forward position. Likewise, determining that the first push rod 111 is in a neutral position may be the same as determining that the second push rod 112 is in a neutral position.

Meanwhile, the control unit 150 receives the position information of the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112 detected by the position detection sensor 130 and the first door detected by the opening/closing detection sensors 141 and 142. Based on the opening/closing information of 21 and the second door 22, the motor 105 may be driven to align the positions of the first push rod 111 and the second push rod 112.

In the above, the control method when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door opening steps (S22 to S24) has been described, but the control method is described when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door waiting steps (S25 to S27). The same or similar control method may be applied even when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door closing steps (S28 to S29).

That is, when the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door waiting stage (S25 to S27), the control unit 150 may output a notification sound and change the waiting time to the second reference waiting time (T2).

When the second switch 270 is turned on in the first door closing stage (S28 to S29), the control unit 150 may output a notification sound.

According to one embodiment, the control unit 150 performs any one of the first door opening steps (S22 to S24), the first door waiting steps (S25 to S27), and the first door closing steps (S28 to S29). When a user input is received at the second switch 270, the motor 105 is driven in the reverse direction in the first door closing phase and the second door opening phase (S36 to S37). The speed can be controlled to increase.

The technical idea disclosed as above does not apply only to the above-described refrigerator, but may also be applied to home appliances and their doors having a main body with a cavity, which is an internal space for performing a specific function, and a door that opens and closes the cavity.

For example, the above technical idea can be applied to a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber, a dishwasher with a washing chamber, a dryer with a drying chamber, a clothing treatment device with a clothing treatment chamber, an air conditioner with a heat exchange chamber in which a heat exchanger is disposed, etc.

Although the technical idea of the present invention has been described above through specific examples, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. Various embodiments that can be modified or modified by a person skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the technical idea of the present invention as specified in the patent claims will also fall within the scope of the present invention.

1: Refrigerator 2: Top table
3: Door opening device receiving part 4: Front of top table
5: Rod hole 6: Fastening member
10: Body 11, 12: Internal injury, external injury
13, 14: storage room 15: vertical bulkhead
16, 17: shelf, storage container 21, 22: first and second doors
23, 24, 25: Hinge 26, 27: Door shelf, door gasket
28: space 31, 32: front panel
33: Panel body 34: Upper trim, adhesive
37: Magnet 38: Lower trim, adhesive
40, 43: front of door, side of door 43a: side
44: 1st opening (handle opening) 45: 2nd opening (switch opening)
49: rear part of door 50: upper cap
53: trim opening 54: fixer opening
55: Fixer 56: Lower cap
60: Side cap 61: Handle (first handle)
62: Switch mounting space 70: Switch (first switch)
100: door opening device 101: upper case
102: lower case 103, 104: movement guide
105: motor 106: motor gear
107: transmission gear assembly 107a, 107b, 107c: transmission gear
108: first pinion gear 109: second pinion gear
111: first push rod 112: second push rod
113: first rack gear 114: second rack gear
120: Magnet 130: Position detection sensor
141: First opening/closing detection sensor 142: Second opening/closing detection sensor
145: waiting time setting unit 150: control unit
160: Speaker 180: Cam unit
181: door cam 199: leg
243a, 243b, 243c: side, front part, rear part
261: handle 270: switch
H: Height difference between the first switch and the second switch

Claims (20)

A main body having a storage compartment, a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in left and right directions, a first push rod for pressing the first door, and the second door A door opening device including a motor provided to move in opposite directions by interlocking a second push rod that presses, a first switch and a second switch provided to receive user input, and a speaker provided to generate a notification sound. In the refrigerator control method comprising:
A first door opening step of opening the first door by driving the motor in a forward direction when a user input is received at the first switch until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod;
A first door waiting step of waiting until a waiting time preset as a first reference waiting time elapses after the first door opening step;
A first door closing step of closing the first door by driving the motor in a reverse direction until the first push rod reaches a neutral position of the first push rod after the first door waiting step; and
When a user input is received by the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step, a notification sound is output through the speaker. step; A control method of a refrigerator comprising a. According to paragraph 1,
When a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step and the first door waiting step, the waiting time is changed from the first reference waiting time to a second value shorter than the first reference waiting time. 2. Refrigerator control method for changing standard waiting time. According to paragraph 1,
A refrigerator control method that stops the motor during the first reference waiting time in the first door waiting step. According to paragraph 1,
A refrigerator control method of slightly moving the motor in the reverse direction during the first reference waiting time in the first door waiting step. According to paragraph 4,
Driving the motor includes driving the motor at a first reference driving speed,
A method of controlling a refrigerator, wherein slightly moving the motor includes driving the motor at a second reference driving speed that is slower than the first reference driving speed. According to paragraph 2,
The first standard waiting time is the sum of the second standard waiting time and the third standard waiting time,
A method of controlling a refrigerator in which the motor is stopped during the second standard waiting time in the first door waiting step, and the motor is slightly moved in the reverse direction during the third standard waiting time after the second standard waiting time has elapsed. According to paragraph 1,
A method of controlling a refrigerator in which the first standard waiting time can be set by the user. According to paragraph 2,
A method of controlling a refrigerator in which the second standard waiting time can be set by a user in a range shorter than the first standard waiting time. According to paragraph 1,
When a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step, the second push load is activated after the first door closing step. A second door opening step of opening the second door by driving the motor in the reverse direction until the second push rod reaches the maximum forward position; A control method for a refrigerator further comprising: According to clause 9,
A method of controlling a refrigerator in which the motor is continuously driven without stopping between the first door closing step and the second door opening step. According to clause 9,
a second door waiting step of determining whether the waiting time has elapsed after the second door opening step; A control method for a refrigerator further comprising: According to clause 11,
A second door closing step of closing the second door by driving the motor in a forward direction until the second push rod reaches the neutral position of the second push rod after the second door waiting step; A control method for a refrigerator further comprising: According to clause 9,
When a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step, the first door waiting step, and the first door closing step, the first door closing step and the second door opening step are performed. A refrigerator control method in which the speed at which the motor drives in the reverse direction increases in each step. A main body having a storage compartment, a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in left and right directions, a first push rod for pressing the first door, and the second door A door opening device including a motor provided to move in opposite directions by interlocking a second push rod that presses, a first switch and a second switch provided to receive user input, and a speaker provided to generate a notification sound. In the refrigerator control method comprising:
A first door opening step of opening the first door by driving the motor in a forward direction when a user input is received at the first switch until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod;
A first door waiting step of waiting until a waiting time preset as a first reference waiting time elapses after the first door opening step; and
A first door closing step of closing the first door by driving the motor in a reverse direction until the first push rod reaches a neutral position of the first push rod after the first door waiting step; Including,
When a user input is received at the second switch in any one of the first door opening step and the first door waiting step, the waiting time is changed from the first reference waiting time to a second value shorter than the first reference waiting time. 2. Refrigerator control method for changing standard waiting time. a main body having a storage compartment;
a first door and a second door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment and arranged in left and right directions;
A first push rod movable to press the back of the first door, a second push rod movable to press the back of the second door, and the first push rod and the second push rod interlock with each other to oppose each other. A door opening device including a motor capable of moving in one direction and driving in a forward or reverse direction;
a first switch provided to receive a user input for opening the first door;
a second switch provided to receive a user input for opening the second door;
A speaker provided to output a notification sound; and
a control unit that controls the motor and the speaker; Including,
The control unit,
When a user input is received at the first switch, the motor is driven in the forward direction until the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod,
Stop or slightly move the motor in the reverse direction from the time the first push rod reaches the maximum forward position of the first push rod until a waiting time preset as a first reference waiting time elapses,
When the waiting time elapses, drive the motor in the reverse direction until the first push rod reaches the neutral position of the first push rod,
A refrigerator that outputs a notification sound through the speaker when a user input is received at the second switch while the motor is running in the forward direction, the motor is stopped or moving slightly in the reverse direction, or the motor is running in the reverse direction. According to clause 15,
The control unit,
When a user input is received at the second switch while the motor is running in the forward direction, the motor is stopped, or moving slightly in the reverse direction, the waiting time is changed from the first reference waiting time to a second value shorter than the first reference waiting time. Refrigerator that changes to a 2-standard waiting time. According to clause 16,
A refrigerator further comprising a waiting time setting unit configured to receive input of the waiting time from a user. According to clause 15,
The door opening device is a refrigerator including a position detection sensor that detects the position of one of the first push rod and the second push rod. According to clause 18,
The refrigerator includes an open/close sensor that detects whether the first door and the second door are opened or closed,
The control unit,
Based on the position information of the first push rod and the second push rod detected by the position detection sensor and the opening/closing information of the first door and the second door detected by the opening/closing detection sensor, the first push A refrigerator that drives the motor to align the positions of the rod and the second push rod. According to clause 15,
a hinge provided at the bottom of the main body to rotatably support the first door; and
A cam unit provided to close the first door by its own weight when the motor drives in the reverse direction and the first push rod moves from the maximum forward position of the first push rod to the neutral position of the first push rod, a cam unit including a door cam provided at the bottom of the first door and a hinge cam provided on the hinge to correspond to the door cam; Refrigerator containing.

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