U.S. patent application number 12/767987 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-28 for door guard assembly and refrigerator having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Sang Gyu Jung, Chang Yong Kim, Po Cheon KIM.
Application Number | 20100270902 12/767987 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42358696 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100270902 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Po Cheon ; et
al. |
October 28, 2010 |
DOOR GUARD ASSEMBLY AND REFRIGERATOR HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
Disclosed herein are a door guard assembly and a refrigerator
having the same. In the door guard assembly, one side of a storage
space of the door guard where food is stored is formed of a wooden
material so that humidity of the storage space is adjusted.
Inventors: |
KIM; Po Cheon; (Kwangju-si,
KR) ; Jung; Sang Gyu; (Gwangju, KR) ; Kim;
Chang Yong; (Gwangju, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700, 1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
42358696 |
Appl. No.: |
12/767987 |
Filed: |
April 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/405.1 ;
220/200; 220/315; 220/810 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 23/067 20130101;
F25D 2317/0413 20130101; F25D 23/04 20130101; F25D 25/005 20130101;
F25D 17/042 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/405.1 ;
220/200; 220/315; 220/810 |
International
Class: |
F25D 23/04 20060101
F25D023/04; B65D 45/00 20060101 B65D045/00; B65D 43/16 20060101
B65D043/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 28, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-37286 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; a door that opens
and closes the storage chamber; and an airtight container defining
a storage space, wherein the airtight container includes a tray
made of a humidity-adjustable material, and a cover member that
covers the tray.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the tray is made
of a wooden material.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the wooden
material comprises teak, iroko, beech, mahogany, oak, ash or
maple.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a door
guard mounted to an inside of the door to stably mount the airtight
container.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: a
door guard mounted to an inside of the door, wherein a bottom
surface of the door guard is defined by the tray.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the door guard
includes a separation prevention member restraining separation of
the airtight container received in the door guard.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the separation
prevention member comprises a locking bar member which is mounted
along an outside of the cover member to be rotated as the airtight
container moves from the door guard and is lowered by its own
weight thereby surrounding the cover member as the airtight
container is received in the door guard.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the separation
prevention member comprises: a locking bar member rotatably mounted
at the door guard; and stopping members connected to both ends of
the locking bar member to restrict a rotational range of the
locking bar member.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein each of the
stopping members comprises: a first stopping part restricting the
locking bar member when the locking bar member is at a lifted
position; and a second stopping part restricting the locking bar
member when the locking bar member is at a lowered position.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the tray
comprises a stepped part and the cover member comprises a
connection rib engaged in tight contact with the stepped part.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, further comprising a
packing member provided between the stepped part and the connection
rib.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the tray
comprises a leg part disposed at a lower part whereas the door
guard comprises a mounting depression formed on a bottom surface
thereof.
13. A door guard assembly comprising: a storage chamber; a door
that opens and closes the storage chamber; and an airtight
container holding a storage space, wherein the airtight container
defining a tray made of a wooden material, and a cover member made
of a transparent material to cover the tray.
14. A door guard assembly comprising: a door guard mounted to an
inner wall of a door that opens and closes a storage chamber; and
an airtight container received in the door guard and adapted to
adjust humidity therein, wherein the airtight container includes a
tray made of a wooden material, and a cover member that covers the
tray.
15. The door guard assembly according to claim 14, further
comprising a locking bar member rotatably mounted to the door guard
to surround a front side of the cover member when the airtight
container is received in the door guard.
16. The door guard assembly according to claim 15, wherein the
locking bar member comprises: a fixed part surrounding a front side
of the cover member; a plurality of supporting parts bent from both
ends of the fixing part; and a plurality of hinge parts
respectively formed at one end of each of the supporting parts.
17. The door guard assembly according to claim 16, wherein the door
guard comprises a plurality of hinge recesses connected with the
hinge parts, and the hinge recesses each comprise a first stopping
part restricting a maximum lifted angle of the locking bar member
so that the locking bar member is lowered by its own weight, and a
second stopping part restricting a maximum lowered angle of the
locking bar so that the locking bar member fixes the cover
member.
18. The door guard assembly according to claim 14, wherein the tray
comprises a stepped part, the cover member comprises a connection
rib brought into tight contact with the circumference of the
stepped part, and the connection rib comprises a first tight
contact part tightly contacting a first side of the stepped part
and a second tight contact part tightly contacting a second side of
the stepped part.
19. The door guard assembly according to claim 18, further
comprising a packing member provided between the stepped part and
the connection rib.
20. The door guard assembly according to claim 14, wherein the
cover member comprises a transparent material.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application. No. 2009-0037286, filed on Apr. 28, 2009 in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a
refrigerator having a door guard assembly that stores articles such
as small-sized food.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus that keeps food
fresh at a low temperature by supplying cold air to a storage
chamber.
[0006] The storage chamber includes a plurality of shelves and
containers to receive the food. A door guard is mounted on the
inside of a door that opens and closes the storage chamber, to
store beverage bottles or cans and other small-size food. The door
guard is generally formed of plastic and equipped with a storage
space to store the food. Such a storage space may have an open
structure, or a half-open structure by having a cover to open and
close the storage space.
[0007] However, both the open and the half-open door guards may
directly contact the external air and therefore are exposed to risk
of germs, and mold. This limits freshness of the food being stored.
Furthermore, a dedicated moisture supplying device may additionally
be provided to the door guard in order to maintain a proper
humidity in the storage space.
SUMMARY
[0008] Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a door guard assembly having an airtight container capable
of adjusting humidity in a storage space, and a refrigerator having
the same.
[0009] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a
door guard assembly having excellent convenience and stability in
receiving items when mounted to the inside of a door, and a
refrigerator having the same.
[0010] Additional aspects of the 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
invention.
[0011] The foregoing and/or aspects of the present invention may be
achieved by providing a door guard assembly including a storage
chamber, a door that opens and closes the storage chamber, and an
airtight container defining a storage space, and the airtight
container includes a tray made of a humidity-adjustable material,
and a cover member that covers the tray.
[0012] The tray may be made of a wooden material. The wooden
material may include at least one of teak, iroko, beech, mahogany,
oak, ash and maple. The refrigerator may further include a door
guard mounted to an inside of the door so that the airtight
container is more stably mounted. The refrigerator may further
include a door guard mounted to an inside of the door, and a bottom
surface of the door guard may be defined by the tray.
[0013] The door guard may include a separation prevention member
restraining separation of the airtight container received in the
door guard. The separation prevention member may include a locking
bar member which is mounted along an outside of the cover member to
be rotated as the airtight container moves from the door guard and
is lowered by its own weight, thereby surrounding the cover member
as the airtight container is received in the door guard.
[0014] The separation prevention member may include a locking bar
member rotatably mounted at the door guard, and stopping members
connected to both ends of the locking bar member to restrict a
rotational range of the locking bar member.
[0015] Here, each of the stopping members may include a first
stopping part restricting the locking bar member at a lifted
position thereof, and a second stopping part restricting the
locking bar member at a lowered position thereof.
[0016] The tray may include a stepped part, whereas the cover
member includes a connection rib engaged in tight contact with the
stepped part. A packing member may be provided between the stepped
part and the connection rib. The tray may include a leg part
disposed at a lower part, whereas the door guard includes a
mounting depression formed on a bottom surface thereof.
[0017] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
may also be achieved by providing a door guard assembly including a
storage chamber, a door that opens and closes the storage chamber,
and an airtight container defining a storage space, wherein the
airtight container includes a tray made of a wooden material, and a
cover member made of a transparent material to cover the tray.
[0018] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
may also be achieved by providing a door guard assembly including a
door guard mounted to an inner wall of a door that opens and closes
a storage chamber, and an airtight container received in the door
guard and adapted to adjust humidity therein, wherein the airtight
container includes a tray made of a wooden material, and a cover
member that covers the tray.
[0019] The door guard assembly may further include a locking bar
member rotatably mounted to the door guard to surround a front side
of the cover member when the airtight container is received in the
door guard.
[0020] The locking bar member may include a fixed part surrounding
the front side of the cover member, supporting parts bent from both
ends of the fixing part, and hinge parts formed at one end of each
of the supporting parts.
[0021] The door guard may include hinge recesses connected with the
hinge parts, and the hinge recesses each include a first stopping
part restricting the maximum lifted angle of the locking bar member
so that the locking bar member is lowered by its own weight, and a
second stopping part restricting the maximum lowered angle so that
the locking bar member fixes the cover member.
[0022] The tray may include a stepped part, the cover member
includes a connection rib brought into tight contact with the
circumference of the stepped part, and the connection rib includes
a first tight contact part tightly contacting a first side of the
stepped part and a second tight contact part tightly contacting a
second side of the stepped part.
[0023] A packing member may be provided between the stepped part
and the connection rib. The cover member may be formed of a
transparent material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] These and/or other aspects of the invention will become
apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view briefly showing the structure
of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the connection
structure of a door guard assembly of the refrigerator according to
the embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the door guard
assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 2, cut along line
V-V';
[0029] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a section `A` of FIG. 4;
[0030] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of another version of the section
`A` shown in FIG. 4;
[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of the door
guard assembly according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are sectional views showing the
operational state of a locking bar member of the refrigerator
according to the embodiment of the present invention; and
[0033] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the operational state of
the door guard assembly of the refrigerator according to the
present embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiment, an
example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements
throughout. The embodiment is described below to explain the
present invention by referring to the figures.
[0035] FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is
a perspective view showing the connection structure of a door guard
assembly of the refrigerator.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator includes a main body 10
including a storage chamber 20, and a door 50 opening and closing
the storage chamber 20.
[0037] According to this embodiment, the storage chamber 20 is
sectioned by a partition 11 into the left and the right of the main
body 10. However, the storage chamber 20 may be sectioned into
upper and lower parts, or only one storage chamber 20 may be
provided. The storage chamber 20 may be used as a refrigerating
chamber or a freezing chamber.
[0038] At least one shelf 30 to put food thereon is mounted at an
upper part of the storage chamber 20. A drawer-type container 40 to
store vegetables and fruit is mounted at a lower part.
[0039] A pair of liners 53 are formed at an inner wall 51 of the
door 50, being extended in a vertical direction at a lateral
interval, to mount a plurality of door guards 70 to receive
relatively small food or beverage bottles.
[0040] Additionally, a door guard assembly 100 is formed between
the pair of liners 53 disposed at the upper part of the door 50, to
prevent inhabitation of microbes such as mold and germs, and to
adjust humidity.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 2, the door guard assembly 100 includes a
door guard 110 mounted to the inner wall 51 of the door 50 opening
and closing the storage chamber 20, and an airtight container 120
which is humidity-adjustable and removably received in the door
guard 110.
[0042] The door guard assembly 100 may be removably mounted to the
inner wall 51 of the door 50. For this, locking recesses 111 are
formed, being opened downward, on both sides of the door guard 110
while locking projections 60 are formed at the pair of liners 53 to
be inserted in the locking recesses 111.
[0043] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the door guard
assembly of the refrigerator, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of
FIG. 2, cut along a line V-V'.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, the door guard 110 removably mounted to
the inner wall 51 substantially has a box form holding a receiving
part 112 to receive the airtight container 120.
[0045] The receiving part 112 of the door guard 110 may be opened
at the top and to one side for convenient insertion and removal of
the airtight container 20.
[0046] At least one cold air inlet hole 114 is formed on a bottom
surface 113 of the door guard 110. In addition, a mounting
depression 115 may be formed in a predetermined depth at the rear
side of the bottom surface 113.
[0047] The cold air inlet hole 114 guides the cold air in the
storage chamber 20 to the receiving part 112 of the door guard 110
so that the cold air is supplied to the airtight container 120.
[0048] The airtight container 120 includes a tray 130 to put the
food thereon, and a cover member 140 defining a storage space 121
(FIG. 4) by covering an upper side of the tray 130 so that the food
put on the tray 130 is not exposed directly to the external
air.
[0049] Although the storage space 121 is formed by the cover member
140 in this embodiment, embodiments of the present invention are
not limited to such a structure. For example, the tray 130 may be
formed in a shape corresponding to the container 120 so that the
storage space 121 is provided within the tray 130.
[0050] The tray 130 may be made of wood to be capable of adjusting
humidity in the storage space 121 to be in a hermetic state. The
cover member 140 may be formed of a transparent material so that
the state of food put on the tray 130 can be checked from the
outside.
[0051] More specifically, since microfibers of wood contract and
expand in accordance with the amount of moisture, the wooden tray
130 may automatically adjust the humidity, accordingly restraining
generation and inhabitation of microbes such as mold and germs.
[0052] Also, since wood has antibacterial, disinfectant and
air-purifying properties, the wooden tray 130 may effectively
prevent deterioration and decay of food being stored for a long
time and thereby extend the length of freshness of the food.
[0053] Various wooden materials that are strong enough to not be to
affected by the humidity of the storage chamber 20 may be used for
the material of the tray 130. According to the embodiment of the
present invention, the tray 130 may be teak, iroko, beech,
mahogany, oak, ash or maple, each of which, has excellent strength
and natural pattern and feel.
[0054] Although wood is used to efficiently adjust the humidity,
the tray 130 according to embodiments of the present invention may
be formed of other materials.
[0055] The airtight container 120 equipped with the wooden tray 130
may be used as a dairy product storage when mounted in the storage
chamber since this element maintains a proper temperature for
storage of dairy products such as cheese.
[0056] Leg parts 131 are formed at both lower sides of the tray
130. As shown in FIG. 4, the leg parts 131 may be formed in a shape
corresponding to the mounting depression 115 of the door guard 110
to be received in the mounting depression 115 when the airtight
container 120 is received in the receiving part 112 of the door
guard 110.
[0057] According to such a structure, movement of the tray 130 is
restricted while the airtight container 120 is being inserted in
the receiving part 112 of the door guard 110.
[0058] Furthermore, the cover member 140 and the tray 130 of the
airtight container 120 may prevent entry of the external air into
the storage space 121 while achieving a hermetic structure wherein
the humidity is adjustable through the wooden tray 130.
[0059] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a section `A` of FIG. 4. FIG.
6 is an enlarged view of another version of the section `A` of FIG.
4. Referring to FIG. 5, a stepped part 133 is formed near an upper
edge of the tray 130 whereas a connection rib 141 is formed along a
lower edge of the cover member 140 to be brought into tight contact
with the circumference of the stepped part 133.
[0060] The connection rib 141 includes a first tight contact part
143 tightly contacting a first side 134 of the stepped part 133,
and a second tight contact part 145 tightly contacting a second
side 135 of the stepped part 133.
[0061] Therefore, a gap between the cover member 140 and the tray
130 is airtightly sealed twice by the first and the second tight
contact parts 143 and 145, thereby reducing the possibility of
entry of the air into the storage space 121.
[0062] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6, a packing member 150
having an excellent contacting force may be provided between the
cover member 140 and the tray 130 to enhance the airtightness
between the cover member 140 and the tray 130.
[0063] As described above, the door guard assembly 100 according to
the embodiment of the present invention includes the door guard 110
mounted to the inner wall 51 of the door 50, and the airtight
container 120 received in the door guard 110. However, embodiments
of the present invention are not limited to the suggested
embodiment. Therefore, for example, the door guard 110 may include
the storage space 121 and a wooden bottom surface 113 such that the
cover member 140 sealing the storage space 121 is connected to the
door guard 110.
[0064] The door guard 110 may include a separation prevention
member to restrain the airtight container 120 from being separated
from the door guard 110 by inertia when the door 50 is opened and
closed after the airtight container 120 is received in the
receiving part 112 of the door guard 110.
[0065] The separation prevention member may have a locking
structure such as a hook structure restricting the airtight
container 120. According to the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the
separation prevention member may include a locking bar member 160
pivotably mounted to the door guard 110 to be automatically lifted
and lowered according to movement of the airtight container 120
with respect to the door guard 110, and a stopping member that
restricts the pivoting range of the locking bar member 160.
[0066] The locking bar member 160 includes a fixed part 161
surrounding a front side 146 of the cover member 140 when the
airtight container 120 is inserted in the receiving part 112 of the
door guard 110, supporting parts 163 bent from both ends of the
fixed part 161, and hinge parts 165 formed in a rectangular shape
at one end of each of the supporting parts 163.
[0067] The stopping member may include hinge recesses 171 in which
the hinge parts 165 are rotatably inserted. In this embodiment, as
shown in FIG. 7, the hinge recesses 171 may be formed on a sidewall
116 of the door guard 110.
[0068] Each of the hinge recesses 171 includes stopping parts that
restrict the rotational range of the locking bar member 160, and
more particularly, includes first stopping parts 172 restricting
the maximum lifted angle .alpha. of the locking bar member 160 and
second stopping parts 173 restricting the maximum lowered
angle.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 8, when the hinge parts 165 of the locking
bar member 160 are lifted within the hinge recesses 171, the upward
rotation of the hinge parts 165 is restricted by the first stopping
parts 172.
[0070] More particularly, the first stopping parts 172 are disposed
such that the maximum lifted angle .alpha. of the locking bar
member 160 becomes about 85.degree.. Accordingly, the locking bar
member 160 is lowered by its own weight after being lifted to the
maximum position.
[0071] In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, when the locking bar member
160 is lowered, the downward rotation of the hinge parts 165 is
restricted by the second stopping parts 173. For this, the second
stopping parts 173 are disposed such that the maximum lowered angle
of the locking bar member 160 becomes about 0.degree..
[0072] With the above structure, insertion and removal of the
airtight container 120 with respect to the door guard 110 may be
more conveniently performed since the locking bar member 160 is
automatically lifted and lowered.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 10, when the airtight container 120 is
inserted in the door guard 110, the locking bar member 160 is
disposed at the position (dashed line) corresponding to the maximum
lowered angle by its own weight. When the airtight container 120 is
separated from the door guard 110 in an arrowed direction in the
drawing, the locking bar member 160 is automatically lifted up to
the position corresponding to the maximum lifted angle (solid line)
along an upper surface 147 of the cover member 140, thereby
releasing the airtight container 120.
[0074] As described above, the door guard assembly 100 according to
the embodiment of the present invention may more efficiently
maintain freshness of food being stored in the storage space 121 by
using the wooden tray 130 capable of adjusting the humidity. In
addition, convenience of insertion and separation of the airtight
container 120 may be enhanced by using the locking bar member 160
automatically lifted and lowered according to movements of the
airtight container 120. Furthermore, since the airtight container
120 is not undesirably separated from the door guard 110 as the
door 50 is opening and closing, the operational stability is
improved.
[0075] As is apparent from the above description, a door guard
assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention and a
refrigerator having the same may be able to maintain freshness of
food being stored in a storage space for a long time, by using a
wooden tray which adjusts humidity.
[0076] In addition, the door guard assembly improves convenience in
putting in food by using a locking bar member that is automatically
lifted and lowered according to movements of an airtight container.
Furthermore, since the airtight container is not easily separated
as the door is opened and closed, the operation stability may be
enhanced.
[0077] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been
shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in
the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *