Refrigerator having locking device for ice bucket and method for installation of locking device of ice bucket

There is provided a refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket and a method for installing a locking device for an ice bucket. A refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket, comprising: a main body; a storage space within the main body; an ice space configured to be disposed inside the main body, and partitioned from the storage space, and having a front opening; an ice bucket comprising an ice storage portion which stores ice generated within the ice space; and a cover member which is disposed in front of the ice storage portion to cover a front of the ice space and configured to be slidably installed in the ice space; and a locking device configured to lock the ice bucket within the ice space to prevent the ice bucket from being drawn out of the ice space by itself.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0085834, filed on Jun. 17, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a refrigerator having an ice bucket and a method for installing a device for an ice bucket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A refrigerator is a device for low temperature storage of food and may be configured to provide freezing storage or cold storage according to the type of food which a user wants to store.

The inside of the refrigerator is continuously supplied by cold air. The cold air is continuously generated by a heat exchange process with a refrigerant which goes through a process of compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The cold air supplied to the inside of the refrigerator is evenly transferred by convection to maintain the food in the refrigerator at a desired temperature.

Generally, a main body of the refrigerator has a rectangular parallelepiped shape of which the front surface is opened and the inside of the main body may be provided with a refrigerating space and a freezing space. Further, the front surface of the main body may be provided with a refrigerating space door and a freezing space door for selective accessing of a portion of the refrigerator. A storage space in the refrigerator may be provided with multiple drawers, shelves, receiving boxes, etc., in which various food may be stored in an optimal condition.

Traditionally, a top mount type refrigerator has a freezing space positioned in an upper portion and has a refrigerating space positioned in a lower portion. Recently, however, for user convenience, a bottom freezer type refrigerator in which the freezing space is positioned in a lower portion has been released. In the case of the bottom freezer type refrigerator, a frequently used refrigerating space is positioned in an upper portion and a relatively less used freezing space is positioned in a lower position. Thus a user may conveniently use the refrigerating space. However, since the freezing space is positioned in the lower portion, the bottom freezer type refrigerator has a problem in that a user needs to bend over to open the freezing space door to remove ice.

To solve the above problem, recently, a refrigerator has been released in which an ice dispenser is installed at the refrigerating space door positioned in the upper portion of the bottom freezer type refrigerator. In this case, the refrigerating space door or the inside of the refrigerating space may be provided with an ice machine.

The ice machine may include an ice space which includes an ice tray that generates ice, an ice bucket in which the generated ice is stored, and a transfer assembly transferring the ice stored in the ice bucket to the dispenser.

The ice bucket may be drawn into the ice space or drawn out of the ice space while sliding through the opened front surface of the ice space. Further, the refrigerator may include a locking device which locks the ice bucket to prevent the ice bucket from being drawn out of the ice space by itself.

The existing locking device for the ice bucket is provided with a projection fixed at one side thereof and prevents the ice bucket from being drawn out of the ice space by itself by locking or unlocking a locking portion. The locking part is locked to the projection, or from the projection, by a spring and an opening button.

However, the existing locking device as described above is inconvenient because operating the opening button requires both hands. Further, the existing locking device has a complicated structure due to the spring and the opening button being separately installed and thus has a high failure rate, increased cost of materials, etc.

Further, since the existing locking device uses a metal spring, when the locking device is used for a long period of time, the locking device may have reduced elastic force due to spring aging or may not operate due to spring corrosion. As a result, the operating performance of the ice bucket may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket and a method for installing a locking device for an ice bucket capable of increasing user convenience by allowing a user to draw out the ice bucket with one hand, having reduced material cost, and improved durability through simplified structures.

Further, embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket and a method for installing a locking device for an ice bucket capable of increased reliability by providing an elastic force without the need of a metal spring to maintain the elastic force during long-term use.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket, the refrigerator including: a main body; a storage space formed inside the main body; an ice space inside the main body and partitioned from the storage space and having a front opening. The refrigerator further includes an ice bucket including an ice storage portion which stores ice generated in the ice space and a cover member which is disposed in front of the ice storage portion to cover the front of the ice space and slidably installed in the ice space to open and close the ice space. The refrigerator further includes a locking device configured to lock the ice bucket to the ice space to prevent the ice bucket from being drawn out of the ice space by itself. The locking device includes: a projection configured to protrude from an inner side of the ice space toward the ice bucket; an elasticity module portion disposed in at least one of an upper portion and a lower portion of the ice bucket and including an elastic piece which has one end fixed to the ice bucket and the other end in a free state to provide an elastic force; and a locking cover including a hook portion which is applied with an elastic force from the elastic piece and to be locked to the projection. The locking cover is coupled with the elasticity module portion to cover the elasticity module portion.

The elasticity module portion may be integrally formed in the ice bucket.

The elastic piece may include: a wave portion configured to be bent in a wave shape with a predetermined length extending from a point fixed to the ice bucket toward the free end to produce the elastic force; and a plane portion flatly formed from the wave portion to the free end to push portion the hook portion of the locking cover toward the projection.

The hook portion may include: an elastic support portion configured to have a substantially square shape and have a surface coupled to the locking cover and a plurality of surfaces (e.g., three) cut to move independently from the locking cover; a protrusion configured to protrude toward a free end of the elastic support portion to be locked to the projection; and an extending arm configured to extend from a surface of the protrusion of the elastic support portion toward the elastic piece to be applied with an elastic force.

The locking cover may be separably coupled with the elasticity module portion.

The locking device may be installed at either of the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket, and the other portion of the ice bucket may be disposed with a first locking hook extending from the ice space and a second locking hook, extending from the ice bucket, to be locked to the first locking hook.

The locking device may be installed at both the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for installing a locking device for an ice bucket, the method including: forming an elasticity module portion including an elastic piece of which one end is fixed and the other end is in a free end disposed in at least one of an upper portion and a lower portion of the ice bucket in a refrigerator; molding a locking cover including a hook portion protruding from a side thereof; coupling the locking cover with the elasticity module portion so that a surface contacts a free end of the elastic piece; and installing a projection protruding from an inner side of an ice space of the refrigerator and extending toward the ice bucket so that the hook portion is locked.

The elastic piece may be molded to have a wave portion bent in a wave shape with a predetermined length extending from a point fixed to the ice bucket toward a free end to produce the elastic force and a plane portion flatly formed from the wave portion to the free end to push the hook portion of the locking cover toward the projection.

The hook portion may have a substantially square shape and may be molded to include an elastic support portion having a surface coupled to the locking cover and a plurality of surfaces (e.g., three) cut to move independently from the locking cover, a protrusion protruding to the free end of the elastic support portion to be locked to the projection, and an extending arm extending from a surface of the protrusion of the elastic support portion toward the elastic piece to be applied with the elastic force.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, constructions and actions according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is one of aspects of the present invention which may be claimed as a patent and may form a portion of the detailed technologies of the present invention.

However, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of well-known constructions or functions will be omitted to make the present invention clear.

The present invention may be variously changed and include various embodiments, so that specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail below. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions included in the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Terms including an ordinal number such as ‘first’, ‘second’, etc., can be used to describe various components, but the components are not to be construed as being limited to the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component.

Terms used in the present application are used only in order to describe specific embodiments rather than limiting the present invention. Singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” or “have” used in this application, specify the presence of stated features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a front view of an exemplary refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention andFIG. 2is a side cross-sectional view of the refrigerator ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator1having a locking device100for an ice bucket40according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main body10, a storage space20, an ice space30, the ice bucket40, and the locking device100.

The description that an embodiment of the present invention includes the components listed above does not mean that the present invention does not include only the above components but means that the present invention can include these components and that the present invention may include other components (for example, technologies widely known with respect to refrigerators). However, the detailed description of known technologies will be omitted if it is deemed that such description would make the description of the present invention unnecessarily vague.

The main body10forms the appearance and supporting structure of the refrigerator1and may provide a space in which the components listed above and other components used in the operation of the refrigerator1may be formed or installed therein.

The storage space20is formed inside the main body10and has a front surface opening. The storage space20may be partitioned into a refrigerating space and a freezing space by a partition wall.

The front surface of the storage space20may be opened and closed by a pair of doors21which rotate and are hinge-coupled with the main body10. The door21may be provided with a dispenser50which may extract ice generated in the ice space30from the outside without opening the door21.

The dispenser50may include an extraction space51which may allow ice to be dispensed, a lever52which may select whether to extract ice, and a chute53which guides ice discharged through an ice discharge port40aof the ice bucket40to the extraction space51.

Further, the ice space30may be disposed inside the main body10and partitioned from the storage space20. The ice space30may be formed to have a front opening. The ice space30may be disposed at one side of the storage space20and may be partitioned from the storage space20by a wall of the ice space.

The ice space30may be provided with an ice assembly to generate ice, the ice assembly may be of any well-known design and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Further, the ice bucket40may be slidably installed in the ice space30to open and close the ice space30. The ice bucket40may include an ice storage portion41which stores ice generated in the ice space30and a cover member42which is disposed in front of the ice storage portion41to cover the front of the ice space30.

Further, the locking device100may lock the ice bucket40to the ice space30to prevent the ice bucket40from being drawn out of the ice space30by itself. When the ice bucket40is locked to the ice space30by the locking device100, the ice bucket40may not be drawn out from the ice space30by itself as long as a user does not apply an external force and may be kept in a locking state.

Hereinafter, the locking device100will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating an ice bucket that is drawn out from the ice space of the refrigerator illustrated inFIG. 1,FIG. 4is an exploded view illustrating the locking device for the ice bucket according to the embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 5is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the locking state of the locking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 3 to 5, the locking device100may include a projection110formed inside the ice space30, an elasticity module portion120formed in the ice bucket40, and a locking cover130.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the projection110may protrude from an inner side of the ice space30toward the ice bucket40.

In one embodiment, when the projection110is installed on the ceiling30aof the ice space30, the projection110may be disposed to protrude downward from a position contacting the cover member42of the ice bucket40. Further, when the projection110is installed on the floor of the ice space30, the projection110may be disposed to protrude upward from a position contacting the cover member42of the ice bucket40or the ice storage portion41.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, the elasticity module portion120may be a depression formed in at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket40. The elasticity providing portion120may be integrally formed in the ice bucket40.

The elasticity module portion120may be provided with the elastic piece121which is configured to produce an elastic force.

One end of the elastic piece121is fixed to the ice bucket40and the other end is free from (e.g., not connected to) the ice bucket40and thus may be formed in the free end state.

As illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the elastic piece121may include a wave portion121aand a plane portion121b.

The wave portion121ahas a structure that increases the elastic force of the elastic piece121and the wave portion121amay be bent in a wave shape with a predetermined length that extends from a point fixed to the ice bucket40toward the free end. The wave portion121ahas a structure in which protrusions and depressions are repeated, and as a result, its ability to provide elastic force may be increased and is less likely to be deformed or destroyed even though substantial force is applied to the wave portion121a. Further, the plane portion121bis flatly formed from the wave portion121atoward the free end and thus may contact the locking cover130to provide an elastic force.

Further, the locking cover130is coupled with the elasticity module portion120and receives the elastic force from the elastic piece121and may cover a portion of the elasticity providing portion120. The locking cover130may be formed approximately with a flat side and another side thereof may be disposed with a hook portion131protruding to a predetermined height on one side thereof to be locked to the projection110by the elastic force from the elastic piece121.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the hook portion131may include an elastic support portion131a, a protrusion131b, and an extending arm131c.

The elastic support portion131amay have a substantially square shape and may be formed in a structure with a surface integrally coupled with the locking cover130and a plurality of surfaces (e.g., the other three surfaces) cut to move independently from the locking cover130. Therefore, one end of the elastic support portion131amay be a fixed end which is fixed to the locking cover130and the end opposite thereto may be a free end.

Further, the protrusion131bmay be formed to protrude from the free end of the elastic support portion131aand to be locked to the projection110. The extending arm131cextends from the opposing surface of the protrusion131bof the elastic support portion131atoward the elastic piece121and thus may easily receive the elastic force of the elastic piece121.

Therefore, the elastic force exerted from the elastic piece121(for example, the plane portion121bof the elastic piece121) is applied to the protrusion131bthrough the extending arm131cand the protrusion131bis locked into the projection110while moving in the same direction as the elastic force.

The locking cover130may be separably coupled with the elasticity module portion120. Therefore, a portion of the locking cover130may also be separated from the elasticity module portion120as needed when the locking cover130is coupled with the elasticity module portion120.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, the locking device100is installed at one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket40. One of the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket40may include a first locking hook11extending from the ice space30. A second locking hook12may extend from the ice bucket40to be locked to the first locking hook11.

FIG. 6illustrates that the upper portion of the ice bucket40is disposed with the locking device100and the lower portion of the ice bucket40, at which the locking device100is not installed, may be disposed with the first locking hook11and the second locking hook12to lock between the ice space30and the ice bucket40. In another embodiment, the lower portion of the ice bucket40is disposed with the locking device100and the upper portion of the ice bucket40may be provided with the first locking hook11and the second locking hook12to lock between the ice space30and the ice bucket40.

Moreover, as illustrated inFIG. 7, the locking device100may also be installed both at the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket40.

Hereinafter, a method for installing a locking device100for an ice bucket40according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described and a detailed description thereof will cite the foregoing description.

According to the method for installing a locking device100for an ice bucket40, the elasticity module portion120is configured to provide the elastic force and may be formed as any one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the ice bucket40which is disposed in the refrigerator.

The elasticity module portion120may include the elastic piece121and the elastic piece121may be integrally molded in the ice bucket40with one end fixed to the ice bucket140and the other end in a free state.

The elastic piece121may be molded to have a wave portion121abent in a wave shape, with a predetermined length and extending from a point fixed to the ice bucket40toward the free end to produce the elastic force, and the plane portion121bflatly formed from the wave portion121atoward the free end.

Further, the locking cover130may be provided separately from the elasticity module portion120. The locking cover130may be injection-molded so that the hook portion131protrudes on one side thereof. The hook portion131may have a substantially square shape and may be molded to include the elastic support portion131ahaving one surface coupled to the locking cover130and three surfaces cut to be separated from the locking cover130. The protrusion131bprotrudes toward the free end of the elastic support portion131ato be locked to the projection110and the extending arm131cextends from another surface of the protrusion131bof the elastic support portion131atoward the elastic piece121and is applied with the elastic force.

As such, after the elasticity module portion120is formed in the ice bucket40and the locking cover130is molded separately therefrom, the locking cover130may be coupled with the elasticity module portion120so that a surface of the hook portion131contacts the free end of the elastic piece121. Further, the projection110is disposed at the inner side of the ice space30of the refrigerator so that the hook portion131is locked with a portion of the projection110protruding toward the ice bucket40, and as a result the installation of the locking device100is complete.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the user may advantageously draw out the ice bucket with one hand to increase the convenience of the ice bucket and the structure may be simplified to save material cost and improve durability.

Further, the elastic force may be provided without need of the spring of the metal material and therefore the same elastic force is maintained even after long-term use, thereby increasing the reliability of products.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to the preferred embodiments, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments. It will be understood that a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains may substitute and change components without any limitation and these substitutions and changes also belong to the scope of the present invention.