Dispenser for refrigerator and refrigerator including the same

A dispenser for a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the same are disclosed. The refrigerator includes a cabinet comprising a storage compartment; a door rotatably provided in the cabinet; and a dispenser provided in the door to supply water outside the door, the dispenser comprising a power supply part which is able to be connected with an external device containing predetermined liquid, to supply an electric power to the external device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No. 10-2010-0069778, filed on Jul. 20, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present invention relates to a dispenser for a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the same, more particularly, to a refrigerator including a dispenser which can supply an electric power to an external device, to enhance user convenience.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

A refrigerator is an electric appliance which can maintain freshness of various foods for a long time by supplying cold air generated by a freezing cycle to a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment.

In general, such a refrigerator includes a cabinet having a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment formed therein to store foods, and doors coupled to sides of the cabinet to open and close the freezer and compartment compartments, respectively.

In addition, elements including a compressor, an evaporator, an expansion valve and the like which compose the freezing cycle may be provided in the cabinet. Cold air generated from the evaporator is supplied to the freezer and refrigerator compartments, to preserve stored food in the freezer and refrigerator compartments at a low temperature for a long time period.

In recent, a dispenser is installed in the door of the refrigerator to allow a user to dispense water or ice cubes from a water supply or an ice maker provided in the refrigerator conveniently even without opening the door. Also, cold air inside the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment cannot be prevented from losing although the door is opened or closed frequently.

However, the refrigerator includes only the dispenser simply in consideration of use convenience and it has a disadvantage of failing to satisfy a variety of user's demands sufficiently, while conventional electric appliances create new values via convergence with multimedia devices.

In other words, the dispenser provided in the refrigerator is used to dispense cold water cooled by cold air inside the refrigerator. In case hot water to make coffee is needed, the water dispensed from the dispenser is poured into a coffee pot and the coffee pot is connected with a power supply additionally provided, to boil the water inconveniently.

Such the inconvenience might be generated because a power supply used to supply the electric power to a boiling container such as a coffee pot is not provided in the dispenser capable of supplying cold water.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a dispenser.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a refrigerator includes a cabinet comprising a storage compartment; a door rotatably provided in the cabinet; and a dispenser provided in the door to supply water outside the door, the dispenser comprising a power supply part which is able to be connected with an external device containing predetermined liquid, to supply an electric power to the external device.

In another aspect of the present invention, a dispenser for a refrigerator includes a dispenser case provided in a door of the refrigerator; a supply part provided in the dispenser case to supply ice or water; an opening/closing switch provided in the dispenser case to allow the ice or the water dispensed outside selectively; and a power supply part provided in a lower portion inside the dispenser case, the power supply part which is able to be connected with an external device containing predetermined liquid, to supply an electric power to the external device.

According to the present invention, there may be advantages as follows. The power supply part configured to supply the electric power to the external device is independently provided in the dispenser provided in the door of the refrigerator. Because of that, when he or she needs hot water to drink coffee or the like, the user can directly connect the external device such as a coffee pot with the power supply part provided in the dispenser to get the hot water.

In other words, the dispenser provided in the refrigerator according to the present invention may supply not only cold water but also hot water smoothly, because it includes the power supply part. As a result, the conventional inconvenience of using an additional power supply to connect a coffee pot when the user needs hot water, while using the dispenser when needing cold water, may be solved.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

As follows, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in reference to the accompanying drawings. Sizes and appearances of elements shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for simplicity and convenience of description. In addition, terms specially defined in consideration of configuration and practice of the present invention may be modified by users, intensions of the users or practices. Definition of the terms may be made based on contents disclosed in the present specification.

Technical features of the present invention are not limited by the embodiments which will be proposed as follows. People skilled in the art who understand the technical feature of the present invention may expect other embodiments within a scope of the technical feature easily and those embodiments belong to the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator including a dispenser300according to an embodiment of the present invention. In reference to FIG.1, a basic structure of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described in detail.

As shown inFIG. 1, an exterior appearance of the refrigerator is defined by a cabinet100formed in an approximately cube shape.

A storage compartment which is a room for storing foods and the like is formed in the cabinet100. The storage compartment is partitioned into right and left parts by a barrier (not shown) provided in the cabinet100, such that freezer and refrigerator compartments may be provided.

According to a type of the refrigerator, the barrier may partition the storage compartment110of the cabinet100into top and bottom parts to provide the freezer and refrigerator compartments. The present invention may be applicable to various types of refrigerators, not limited thereby.

In the meanwhile, a front of the cabinet100is formed open and doors200are rotatably coupled to the open front of the cabinet100. The doors200are configured to open and close the open front of the cabinet100, in other words, the freezer and refrigerator compartments selectively.

The door200may be configured to open and close the freezer and refrigerator compartments and they may open and close the freezer and refrigerator compartments independently by rotating along both directions.

In the meanwhile, a dispenser300is provided in a front surface of the door200configured to open and close the freezer or refrigerator compartment. The dispenser300allows purified water or ice to be dispensed outside. Specifically, the ice made in an ice maker (not shown) and the water purified in a water purifier (not shown), which are provided in the freezer or refrigerator compartment, may be dispensed outside via the dispenser300.

FIG. 2is a front view illustrating a dispenser300according to an embodiment of the present invention. In reference toFIG. 2, the structure of the dispenser300provided in the refrigerator which is the present invention will be described in detail.

As shown inFIG. 2, the dispenser300includes a dispenser case310, a supply part320, an opening/closing switch330and a power supply part340.

Specifically, an accommodation space recessed a predetermined depth toward the inside of the freezer compartment door200may be provided in the dispenser case310to supply purified water or ice to a container such as a cup held by the user smoothly.

An operation panel312is provided in a proper area of the dispenser300, and a display part and a button may be provided in the operation panel312.

As a result, the user may check various pieces of information such as a temperature and a humidity inside the freezer or refrigerator compartments via the display part of the operation panel312. The display part may be used to control the temperature and the humidity inside the freezer or refrigerator compartment based on the checked information.

In other words, the user uses the button provided in the operation panel312to control the operation of the refrigerator such that he or she may operate the inside of the freezer or refrigerator compartment to maintain a desired temperature and a desired humidity.

In the meanwhile, operational buttons312aand312bmay be provided in the operation panel312to selectively supply an electric power to an external device which will be described later. The operational buttons are configured of an on-button312aand an off-button312b.

As a result, what the user has to do to supply the electric power to the external device or to cut off the power supply is only to push the on-button312aor the off-button312b.

The supply part320is provided in an upper area of the dispenser case310to supply water or ice and an end of the supply part320is exposed to the accommodation space.

The supply part320exhausts water purified in a purifier provided in the freezer or refrigerator compartment outside the refrigerator. After that, the user may receive the purified water in a container such as a cup.

As mentioned above, the supply part320may exhaust ice made in an ice maker as well as the purified water. If necessary, both of the purified water and the made ice may be exhausted by the supply part320.

In the meanwhile, the opening/closing switch330may be provided in the accommodation space formed in the dispenser case310, located under the supply part320. The opening/closing switch330allows the purified water or the made ice to be supplied to the user by the supply part320.

In other words, the user locates the container such as a cup under the supply part320, and he or she presses the opening/closing switch330with the container. After that, the supply part320is opened and the purified water or the ice is supplied to the cup located under the supply part320.

When the cup is detached from the opening/closing switch330after the purified water or the ice is supplied to the cup, the supply part320is closed and the supply of the purified water or the ice is stopped.

Here, the power supply part340configured to supply the electric power to the external device400may be provided under the opening/closing switch330. It is preferable that the opening/closing switch330is a lever switch which is movable forward and backward.

It is preferable that the power supply part340is a receptacle including an electric access hole342which is ale to be connected with a terminal410provided in the external device400. The structure and connection relation of the power supply part340will be described later.

FIG. 3is a side view illustrating the relation between the power supply part340of the dispenser300and the external device400. In reference toFIG. 4will be described in detail a process of supplying hot water to the user after the user connecting the power supply part340of the dispenser300with the external device400.

When trying to be supplied hot water to make coffee or tea, the user connects the external device400with the power supply part340provided in the dispenser300. Here, the external device400is able to store and heat water.

For example, the user connects a terminal410provided in a coffee pot having a heating part420for heating liquid such as water with the power supply part340, to heat the liquid contained in the coffee pot.

In other words, as shown inFIG. 3, the terminal410may be a plug provided in an outer surface of the coffee pot and the power supply part340may be a receptacle having an electric access hole342where the plug is plugged.

As a result, as soon as the coffee pot is seated on the dispenser case310, the plug is plugged into the electric access hole342and the coffee pot is supplied the electric power by the power supply part340, to heat the water contained therein.

In the meanwhile, when trying to connect the external power400with the power supply part340to heat the water, the operational process of the external device400via the operation panel312will be described.

When trying to heat the water, the user seats the external device400on the dispenser case310.

Hence, the user presses the on-button312aprovided in the operation panel312and the electricity is then leading-in the external device400. Because of that, the heating part420of the external device400is heated and the water is heated.

A sensor part430for measuring the temperature of water and a display lamp440for alarming completion of the heating may be provided in the external device400.

When the sensor part430determines that the water contained in the external device400is heated to a preset temperature, the display lamp provided in the external device400is on and off to alarm the completion of the heating.

In the meanwhile, the electric power is supplied via the power supply part340and the terminal410. Also, a signal for noticing the completion of the heating may be transported to the refrigerator from the external device400.

At this time, the signal generated in the sensor part430is transported to the refrigerator. Once the heating is completed, the off-button312bof the operation button is luminous to notice the completion of the heating.

The user recognizes the completion of the heating via the luminous off-button312b. In this case, the user may separate the external device400from the power supply part340and he or she can be supplied hot water.

As a result, the user may be supplied not only the cold water from the dispenser300but also the hot water by connecting the external device400with the power supply part340provided in the dispenser300. Subsidiary power supply parts may not be provided independently and use convenience may be enhanced accordingly.

In the meanwhile, when the trying to heat water by using the external device400, water could be supplied to the external device400from an auxiliary water supply source provided independently. The user may press the opening/closing device330provided in the dispenser case310with the external device400held by the user, to receive water from the supply part320. The external device400storing the water supplied by the supply part320is seated on the dispenser case310to heat the water.

As a result, the user can be supplied the water by the dispenser300to heat the water immediately, without using the auxiliary water supply source.

It is preferable that the terminal410is leading in and out from the external device400. If the external device400is not used, the terminal410may be leading into the external device400to keep.

FIG. 4is a side view illustrating a relation between the power supply part340and a cap provided in the dispenser300according to the embodiment of the present invention. If not using the external device400for heating water, a cap344is coupled to the power supply part340to prevent danger such as an accident caused by a short circuit.

In other words, when the power supply part340provided in the dispenser case310is not used, the cap344is coupled to the electric access hole342of the power supply part340in which the terminal410is inserted.

A side of the cap344is formed in a corresponding shape to the inside of the electric access hole342, to close the electric access hole342. Because of that, water may be prevented from being drawn into the electric access hole342and the short circuit accident generated by the water drawn into the electric access hole342may be prevented.

When he or she trying to heat water, the user separates the cap344from the power supply part340to connect the external device400with the power supply part340.

FIG. 5is a side view illustrating an operational process of the power supply part340provided in the dispenser300according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In reference toFIG. 5, when the external device400for heating water is not used, the power supply part340which is the receptacle is leading into the dispenser case310and the danger such as the short circuit accident may be prevented.

In other words, the power supply part340is provided adjacent to a lower area of the dispenser case310and it may be leading in and out from the dispenser case310.

As a result, when the user trying to heat water by using the external device400, the user may lead out the power supply part340from the dispenser case310to connect it with the external device400.

When not using the power supply part340, the user may lead the power supply part340into the dispenser case310of the dispenser300to prevent water from being drawn into the electric access hole342.

At this time, the power supply part340may be sliding-movable in a lower portion of the dispenser case310provided in the dispenser300and an accommodating recess350may be provided in the lower portion of the dispenser case310provided in the dispenser300to accommodate the power supply part340.

In the meanwhile, a hooking protrusion341may be provided at a top end of the power supply part340and the hooking protrusion341may be hooked to a top end of an entrance edge of the accommodating recess350.

As a result, the hooking protrusion341may solve a problem of failing to lead out the power supply part340because it is accommodated in the recess350too much.

In addition, the user may pull the hooking protrusion341forwardly to expose it outside and the hooking protrusion341may be employed as a kind of handle.