U.S. patent application number 11/168385 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-13 for refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Gi-hyeong Lee, Seok-jun Son.
Application Number | 20060152121 11/168385 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36652588 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060152121 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Son; Seok-jun ; et
al. |
July 13, 2006 |
Refrigerator
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a main body cabinet formed with a
storage compartment, and a door coupled to the main body cabinet
and opening/closing the storage compartment. A terminal
installation part is provided to at least one of the main body
cabinet and the door, and a terminal is detachably coupled to the
terminal installation part and communicatable with other household
appliances. A slide plate is provided with a holding part
interposed between the terminal and the terminal installation part
and maintains the terminal so as to be held to the terminal
installation part. A driving part is connected with the slide plate
and slides the slide plate for the terminal to be released from the
terminal installation part. Thus, the present invention provides a
refrigerator allowing a terminal to be detachably mounted thereon
without difficulty, thereby enhancing the user's convenience and
making an external appearance thereof good.
Inventors: |
Son; Seok-jun; (Gwangju
city, KR) ; Lee; Gi-hyeong; (Gwangju city,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
36652588 |
Appl. No.: |
11/168385 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/405 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 29/005 20130101;
F25D 2400/361 20130101; F25D 23/12 20130101; F25D 23/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/405 |
International
Class: |
A47B 96/00 20060101
A47B096/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 11, 2005 |
KR |
2005-0002601 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising a main body cabinet formed with a
storage compartment, and a door coupled to the main body cabinet
and opening/closing the storage compartment, further comprising: a
terminal installation part provided to at least one of the main
body cabinet and the door; a terminal detachably coupled to the
terminal installation part and adapted to communicate with other
household appliances; a slide plate provided with a holding part
interposed between the terminal and the terminal installation part
and which maintains the terminal so as to be held to the terminal
installation part; and a driving part connected with the slide
plate and which slides the slide plate for the terminal to be
released from the terminal installation part.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a
lever unit provided to a first side of the terminal installation
part and which pushes the terminal along a separating direction as
the terminal is released from the terminal installation part by the
driving part.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the driving part
comprises a driving motor supplying a rotating force, a pinion gear
connected with the driving motor, and a rack gear formed in the
slide plate and engaged with the pinion gear.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the lever unit
comprises a turning shaft coupled to the terminal installation
part, a lever integrally coupled to the turning shaft and pressing
the terminal along the separating direction, and a lever turning
part turning the turning shaft and the lever.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the slide plate
comprises a first slide plate formed with the rack gear and slid by
the driving motor, and a second slide plate distanced from the
first slide plate and slid by a rotating force of the driving motor
through the turning shaft.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the lever turning
part comprises a first lever gear coupled to a first end portion of
the turning shaft, and a first auxiliary rack gear formed in the
first slide plate and engaged with the first lever gear.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, further comprising a
second lever gear coupled to a second end portion of the turning
shaft, and a second auxiliary rack gear formed in the second slide
plate and engaged with the second lever gear.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising an
entrance opening formed to at least one of the main body cabinet
and the door and leading to the terminal installation part for the
terminal to go in and out, and a cover plate movably provided to
the terminal installation part and opening/closing the entrance
opening.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, further comprising a
transferring part which transfers the cover plate along an
opening/closing direction for the cover plate to open/close the
entrance opening.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the transferring
part comprises a guide pin coupled with the cover plate, a guiding
bracket interposed between the cover plate and the slide plate and
formed with a first guiding groove guiding the guide pin along an
opening/closing direction of the cover plate, and a second guiding
groove formed in the slide plate and guiding the guide pin for the
cover plate to move along the first guiding groove as the slide
plate is slid by the driving part.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a
supporting member provided to a second side of the terminal
installation part to support an end portion of the terminal and
rotating between an installing state and a separating state of the
terminal.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent
Application No. 2005-0002601, filed on Jan. 11, 2005, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more
particularly, to a refrigerator allowing a terminal to be
detachably mounted thereon without difficulty and enhancing the
user's convenience.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a refrigerator is a cooling apparatus preserving
the temperature of food deposited therein pertinently by using a
cooling cycle.
[0006] In recent years to satisfy variable desires of a consumer, a
household appliance with application in a home networking system
and having multiple functions such as a function of communicating
between household appliances, Internet access function, or the like
are becoming more popular.
[0007] It is proper and often happens that the refrigerator takes
the role of a main server of the home networking system, because
the refrigerator is usually on all day long. For example, a micro
computing device is provided to a main body of the refrigerator,
and a display device of a touch screen type is provided and
detachably mounted thereto, thereby a user may connect to the
Internet and search information such as a menu, a recipe, or the
like therewith. Also, the micro computing device may inform the
user of an operating condition or use manual of various household
appliances applied to a house.
[0008] The conventional refrigerator disclosed in Korean Patent
Application No. 2003-0006585 comprises a main body cabinet divided
right and left into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating
compartment, and a freezing compartment door and a refrigerating
compartment door provided to the main body cabinet and
opening/closing the freezing compartment and the refrigerating
compartment, respectively.
[0009] In the refrigerating compartment door is formed an
accommodating portion of a predetermined thickness to which a web
pad serving as a terminal for communication is installed, and to a
side of the accommodating portion is provided a refrigerator
contacting part contacting with a web pad contacting part of the
web pad.
[0010] The refrigerator contacting part senses the installation
state of the web pad according to contact with the web pad
contacting part. An electromagnet is provided to fix the web pad
installed to the accommodating portion.
[0011] With this configuration, the web pad may be fixed to the
refrigerating compartment door accordingly as the electromagnet
operates.
[0012] However, there are the following problems in the
conventional refrigerator. Since the user must grasp and pull the
web pad to separate the web pad therefrom, the web pad needs to be
protruded from a front surface of the refrigerating compartment
door so that the user may grasp it, or the accommodating portion to
which the web pad is installed needs to be widened more so that the
user may insert his or her hand therethrough. Thereby, it makes an
external appearance thereof undesirable and brings about difficult
problems in separating the web pad therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a refrigerator allowing a terminal to be detachably mounted
thereon without difficulty, thereby enhancing the user's
convenience and making an external appearance thereof good.
[0014] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the present
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may
be learned by practice of the present invention.
[0015] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
are also achieved by providing a refrigerator comprising a main
body cabinet formed with a storage compartment, and a door coupled
to the main body cabinet and opening/closing the storage
compartment, further comprising a terminal installation part
provided to at least one of the main body cabinet and the door; a
terminal detachably coupled to the terminal installation part and
adapted to communicate with other household appliances; a slide
plate provided with a holding part interposed between the terminal
and the terminal installation part and which maintains the terminal
so as to be held to the terminal installation part; and a driving
part connected with the slide plate and which slides the slide
plate for the terminals to be released from the terminal
installation part.
[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
refrigerator further comprises a lever unit provided to a first
side of the terminal installation part and pushing the terminal
along a separating direction as the terminal is released from the
terminal installation part by the driving part.
[0017] According to an aspect of the present invention, the driving
part comprises a driving motor supplying a rotating force, a pinion
gear connected with the driving motor, and a rack gear formed in
the slide plate and engaged with the pinion gear.
[0018] According to an aspect of the present invention, the lever
unit comprises a turning shaft coupled to the terminal installation
part, a lever integrally coupled to the turning shaft and pressing
the terminal along the separating direction, and a lever turning
part turning the turning shaft and the lever.
[0019] According to an aspect of the present invention, the slide
plate comprises a first slide plate formed with the rack gear and
slid by the driving motor, and a second slide plate distanced from
the first slide plate and slid by a rotating force of the driving
motor through the turning shaft.
[0020] According to an aspect of the present invention, the lever
turning part comprises a first lever gear coupled to a first end
portion of the turning shaft, and a first auxiliary rack gear
formed in the first slide plate and engaged with the first lever
gear.
[0021] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
refrigerator further comprises a second lever gear coupled to a
second end portion of the turning shaft, and a second auxiliary
rack gear formed in the second slide plate and engaged with the
second lever gear.
[0022] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
refrigerator further comprises an entrance opening formed to at
least one of the main body cabinet and the door and leading to the
terminal installation part for the terminal to go in and out, and a
cover plate movably provided to the terminal installation part and
opening/closing the entrance opening.
[0023] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
refrigerator further comprises a transferring part transferring the
cover plate along an opening/closing direction for the cover plate
to open/close the entrance opening.
[0024] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
transferring part comprises a guide pin coupled with the cover
plate, a guiding bracket interposed between the cover plate and the
slide plate and formed with a first guiding groove guiding the
guide pin along an opening/closing direction of the cover plate,
and a second guiding groove formed in the slide plate and guiding
the guide pin for the cover plate to move along the first guiding
groove as the slide plate is slid by the driving part.
[0025] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
refrigerator further comprises a supporting member provided to a
second side of the terminal installation part to support an end
portion of the terminal and rotating between an installing state
and a separating state of the terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from
the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a state that
a terminal of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present invention is installed to a terminal installation
part;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the state that the
terminal of the refrigerator according to the exemplary embodiment
of the present invention is installed to the terminal installation
part;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a principal perspective view illustrating a state
before a first slide plate in FIG. 2 moves upward;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a principal perspective view illustrating a state
that a terminal is out of hold as a first slide plate in FIG. 3
moves upward;
[0031] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view illustrating a state that
a terminal of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present invention is tilted at a predetermined angle from a
terminal installation part;
[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state that a
terminal in FIG. 4 is separated from a terminal installation
part;
[0033] FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views illustrating a process
that a cover plate in FIG. 6 is moving forward to close an entrance
opening; and
[0034] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view illustrating a state that
a cover plate of a refrigerator according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention closes the entrance
opening.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE, NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS
OF THE INVENTION
[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to the illustrative,
non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, examples of
which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, a refrigerator 1 according to
the present invention comprises a main body cabinet 10 divided on
the right and left into a pair of storage compartments (not shown)
by a middle partition (not shown), and a pair of doors 20 rotatably
mounted to the main body 10 and opening/closing a pair of front
openings (not shown). Also, the refrigerator 1 comprises a terminal
40 detachably mounted to the door 20 and capable of communicating
with other household appliances, a terminal installation part 30
provided to the door 20 and installed with the terminal 40, a slide
plate 50 provided with a holding part 53, 56 interposed between the
terminal 40 and terminal installation part 30 and maintaining the
terminal 40 to be held by the terminal installation part 30, and a
driving part 60 slidingly driving the slide plate 50 so that the
terminal 40 may be out of retention from the terminal installation
part 30.
[0037] The terminal 40 is capable of exchanging information between
household appliances on the basis of a home networking system and
accessing to the Internet. Herein, preferably, but not necessarily,
the terminal 40 is a flat panel displayer flush with a plate
surface of the door 20, and the terminal 40 comprises a touch
screen type interface for convenience.
[0038] The door 20 is formed with an entrance opening 21 in the
plate surface thereof. The entrance opening 21 leads to the
terminal installation part 30, and the terminal 40 goes in and out
therethrough. Also, the door 20 is provided with an operating
button 22 operating the driving part 60 so that a user may
detachably install the terminal 40 to the terminal installation
part 30.
[0039] The terminal installation part 30 is accommodated in the
entrance opening 21, and various parts including the terminal
installation part 30, the slide plate 50, the driving part 60,
etc., are mounted therein. The terminal installation part 30 is
provided with a couple of guide rods 31, 32 guiding the slide plate
50 to slidingly move, and an installation frame 33, 34 to which the
guide rod 31, 32 are mounted respectively, in the opposite inner
sides thereof. Also, the terminal installation part 30 is provided
with a supporting member 80 supporting a bottom portion of the
terminal 40 and rotating between an installing state and a
separating state of the terminal 40 in a bottom area thereof.
[0040] A rotation shaft 81 is mounted to bottom opposite sides of
the supporting member 80, and is rotatably supported by a rotation
shaft supporter 37 provided to the terminal installation part 30.
Also, a spring 82 is provided to a bottom portion of the supporting
member 80 and supplies an elastic force to the supporting member
80.
[0041] The slide plate 50 comprises a first slide plate 51 and a
second slide plate 52, which are provided to opposite sides of the
terminal 40. A connecting member 35, 36 is interposed between the
guide rod 31, 32 and the slide plate 51, 52 and connects the slide
plate 51, 52 with the guide rod 31, 32.
[0042] As the slide plate 51, 52 ascends and descends, the
connecting member 35, 36 may ascend and descend integrally
therewith relative to the guide rod 31, 32.
[0043] The holding part 53, 56 is provided to each top portion of
the first slide plate 51 and the second slide plate 52.
[0044] A first auxiliary rack gear 55 is formed in an upper side of
the first slide plate 51. Below the first auxiliary rack gear 55 is
formed a rack gear 54 engaged with a pinion gear 62. Also, in an
inner plate surface of the first slide plate 51 is formed an
ascending groove 51a along an up and down direction guiding a guide
pin 91 as the first slide plate 51 ascends and descends, and from
the ascending groove 51a along a declined direction is prolonged a
second guiding groove 51b guiding the guide pin 91 as a cover plate
85 moves forward along a first guiding groove 94b in FIG. 6.
[0045] A second auxiliary rack gear 57 is formed in an upper side
of the second slide plate 52. Also, in an inner plate surface of
the second slide plate 52 is formed an ascending groove 52a along
an up and down direction guiding a guide pin 92 as the second slide
plate 52 ascends and descends, and from the ascending groove 52a
along a declined direction is prolonged a second guiding groove 52b
guiding the guide pin 92 as the cover plate 85 moves forward along
the first guiding groove 94b in FIG. 6.
[0046] The holding part 53, 56 comprises a holding projection 53a,
56a holding a top portion of the terminal 40, and a holding spring
53b, 56b elastically pressing the holding projection 53a, 56a. With
correspondence thereto in the top portion of the terminal 40 is
formed a projection container 40a, 41a (see FIG. 4) containing the
holding projection 53a, 56a. Hence, the holding projection 53a, 56a
may be inserted into the projection container 40a, 41a, thereby the
terminal 40 may be maintained to be held by the terminal
installation part 30.
[0047] The driving part 60 comprises a driving motor 61 provided to
the installation frame 33 and supplying a rotating force, the
pinion gear 62 connected with the driving motor 61, and the rack
gear 54 formed in the first slide plate 51 and engaged with the
pinion gear 62.
[0048] The driving motor 61 is provided to a side of the first
slide plate 51, and a driving gear 61a is provided to a shaft
thereof.
[0049] Since the driving gear 61a is engaged with the pinion gear
62, the driving gear 61a rotates counterclockwise while the pinion
gear 62 rotates clockwise. Hence, the first slide plate 51 provided
with the rack gear 54 may move straight upward by a rotating force
of the pinion gear 62. Herein, because of being provided with the
ascending groove 51a, the first slide plate 51 may move upward
without interference of the guide pin 91.
[0050] Herein, it is preferable, but not necessary, that a lever
unit 70 may be provided to a top area of the terminal installation
part 30. The lever unit 70 pushes the terminal 40 along a
separating direction as the terminal 40 is out of hold by the
driving part 60. Thereby, the user may separate the terminal 40
from the terminal installation part 30 without difficulty because
the terminal 40 is in a pushed state along the separating
direction.
[0051] The lever unit 70 comprises a turning shaft 71 coupled to
the terminal installation part 30, a lever 72 integrally coupled to
the turning shaft 71 and pressing the terminal 40 along the
separating direction, and a lever turning part 73 turning the
turning shaft 71 and the lever 72.
[0052] The turning shaft 71 is rotatably coupled to a turning
supporting part 38 provided to the terminal installation part
30.
[0053] The lever 72 is coupled to the turning shaft 71, contacts
with a rear surface of the terminal 40, and integrally turns with
the turning shaft 71. Hence, the lever 72 may push the terminal 40
forward accordingly as the turning shaft 71 and the lever 72 turn
clockwise.
[0054] The lever turning part 73 comprises a first lever gear 74
coupled to a first end portion of the turning shaft 71, and the
first auxiliary rack gear 55 formed in the upper side of the first
slide plate 51 and engaged with the first lever gear 74. As the
first slide plate 51 slidingly moves upward by driving of the
driving motor 61, the first auxiliary rack gear 55 turns the first
lever gear 74 clockwise, thereby the turning shaft 71 and the lever
72 may integrally turn in a turning direction of the first lever
gear 74.
[0055] Also, a second lever gear 75 is coupled to a second end
portion of the turning shaft 71, and the second auxiliary rack gear
57 is formed in the second slide plate 52 engaged with the second
lever gear 75. Hence, a turning force of the first lever gear 74 is
delivered to the turning shaft 71 and the second lever gear 75,
thereby the second lever gear 75 moves the second slide plate 52
slidingly upward. Hence, the rotating force of the single driving
motor 61 makes it possible that the first slide plate 51 slidingly
moves upward, the turning shaft 71 turns, the lever 72 and the
second lever gear 75 turns, and the second slide plate 52 also
slidingly moves upward. Herein, as formed with the ascending groove
52a, the second slide plate 52 may move upward without interference
of the guide pin 92. Thereby, each holding part 53, 56 of the first
slide plate 51 and the second slide plate 52 releases the terminal
40, and simultaneously the lever 72 presses the terminal 40 along
the separating direction. As a result, the terminal 40 is tilted
forward with a predetermined angle on the rotation shaft 81 of the
supporting member 80, thereby getting in a state that the user may
separate the terminal without difficulty.
[0056] Herein, as shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, preferably, but not
necessarily, the refrigerator 1 may further comprise the cover
plate 85 movably provided to the terminal installation part 30 and
opening/closing the entrance opening 21, and a transferring part
90, 95 transferring the cover plate 85 along an opening/closing
direction to open/close the entrance opening 21. Hence, the cover
plate 85 may close the entrance opening 21 after the terminal 40 is
separated from the entrance opening 21, which serves to provide the
refrigerator 1 with a good external appearance.
[0057] It is preferable, but not necessary, that the cover plate 85
is disposed behind the terminal 40 and formed to correspond with a
configuration of the entrance opening 21.
[0058] The transferring part 90, 95 forms a pair to be
symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of the cover plate 85, and
only the transferring part 95 of a left side of the second slide
plate 52 will be described for convenience.
[0059] The transferring part 95 comprises the guide pin 92 coupled
to the cover plate 85, a guiding bracket 94 interposed between the
cover plate 85 and the second slide plate 52 and formed with the
first guiding groove 94b guiding the guide pin 92 along the
opening/closing direction of the cover plate 85, and the second
guiding groove 52b formed in the second slide plate 52 and guiding
the guide pin 92 so that the cover plate 85 moves along the first
guiding groove 94b as the second slide plate 52 slidingly moves by
the driving motor 61. Namely, as the second slide plate 52
slidingly moves upward thereby, the guide pin 92 moves forward
along the first guiding groove 94b by an ascending force of the
second slide plate 52. Hence, the cover plate 85 may slidingly move
forward integrally with the guide pin 92 and close the entrance
opening 21.
[0060] Hereinafter, a process will be described wherein the
terminal 40 is being separated from the entrance opening 21 in the
refrigerator 1 according to the present invention.
[0061] As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, at first, the terminal 40 is
held to the terminal installation part 30 by the holding part 53,
56. After that, if the user pushes the operating button 22 to
separate the terminal 40, the driving motor 61 operates to rotate
the driving gear 61a counterclockwise. Also, the pinion gear 62
engaged with the driving gear 61a rotates clockwise and delivers a
force to the rack gear 54. Also, the first slide plate 51 slidingly
moves upward to turn the first lever gear 74 engaged with the first
auxiliary rack gear 55. The holding part 53 of the first slide
plate 51 releases the terminal 40. Also, as the turning force of
the first lever gear 74 is delivered to the turning shaft 71 and
the lever 72, the lever 72 pushes the terminal 40 forward with a
predetermined angle and the second lever gear 75 moves the second
slide plate 52 slidingly upward turning in the same direction as
the first lever gear 74 turns. At this time, the guide pins 91, 92
coupled to the first slide plate 51 and the second slide plate 52
may be guided along the each ascending groove 51a, 52a. With this
process, the terminal 40 may be tilted forward with a predetermined
angle on the rotation shaft 81 of the supporting member 80, and the
user may separate the terminal 40 from the terminal installation
part 30 without difficulty.
[0062] Hereinafter, a process will be described wherein the cover
plate 85 is closing the entrance opening 21 in the refrigerator 1
according to the present invention.
[0063] As shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, as the terminal 40 is
separated from the terminal 40, the driving motor 61 operates again
after a predetermined time. Then, the first slide plate 51 and the
second slide plate 52 keep slidingly moving upward, and the guide
pins 91, 92 are pressed forward by the second guiding groove 51b,
52b, respectively. Accordingly, the cover plate 85 coupled with the
guide pins 91, 92 slidingly moves forward along the first guiding
grooves 94b of the guiding brackets 93, 94 and closes the entrance
opening 21. With this process, the entrance opening 21 from which
the terminal 40 is separated is closed by the cover plate 85, which
serves to enhance the beauty of an external appearance of the
refrigerator 1.
[0064] In the foregoing embodiment, the terminal is installed to
the door, but the terminal may be installed to the main body
cabinet, or to both the door and the main body cabinet.
[0065] In the foregoing embodiment, the single driving part is
provided to operate both the first slide plate and the second slide
plate, but a plurality of driving parts may be provided to operate
the first slide plate and the second slide plate, respectively.
[0066] In the foregoing embodiment, the single operating button is
provided for both installing and separating of the terminal, but a
plurality of operating buttons may be provided for installing and
separating of the terminal, respectively.
[0067] Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these
embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and
their equivalents.
* * * * *