Refrigerator

A refrigerator comprises: a body having a storage chamber; a door for selectively shielding the storage chamber; a hinge coupling portion for hinge-coupling the door to the body; and a height control unit for lifting up or lowering the door by repeatedly opening and closing the door. Since the door has a controllable height by being opened and closed, a moment arm becomes longer than when using the conventional tool such as a spanner. This may allow the height of the door to be controlled by using less force. Since the height of the door is controllable at a user's eye height, the user may control the height of the door more rapidly and precisely without errors.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator capable of controlling a height of a door by merely opening and closing the door in a repetitive manner.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a refrigerator serves to freshly store each kind of food items for a long time in a cooled state or a frozen state by supplying cool air to a storage chamber. The cool air is generated by a refrigeration cycle for circulating a refrigerant through compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation processes.

The refrigerator includes a body provided with a storage chamber, and a door for selectively opening and closing the storage chamber.

The door is hinge-coupled to the body, and is rotated centering around a hinge shaft to open and close the storage chamber.

The door has to be installed at a precise position of the body, so that the storage chamber can be smoothly opened and closed by the door, or so that the storage chamber can be better shielded by the door.

For this, a height control apparatus has been disclosed. The height control apparatus has a structure that a screw thread to which a height control nut is fitted is formed at a hinge coupling portion to which the door is hinge-coupled, and the nut is supported by the body.

However, the conventional height control apparatus has the following problems.

Firstly, in order to control a height of the door, the nut is rotated by using an additional tool such as a spanner. This may cause a user's inconvenience to prepare the additional tool, and an unskilled person may have a difficulty in manipulating the additional tool.

Secondly, sine the hinge coupling portion is disposed at a lower end of the refrigerator, a user has to lower his or her posture to control the height of the door.

Thirdly, while the user lowers his or her posture to control the height of the door, the user can not check the height of the door. This may cause the user to change his or her postures a plurality of times.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of controlling a height of a door by merely opening and closing the door in a repetitive manner.

Technical Solution

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a refrigerator, comprising: a body having a storage chamber; a door for selectively shielding the storage chamber; a hinge coupling portion for hinge-coupling the door to the body; and a height control unit for lifting up or lowering the door by repeatedly opening and closing the door.

The hinge coupling portion is provided on upper and lower surfaces, respectively. And, at least one of the hinge coupling portions may be replaced with the height control unit.

The height control unit includes a hinge portion having one end screw-coupled to the body so as to be vertically movable, and another end for rotatably supporting the door; and a height controller installed at the door, for rotating the hinge portion in a locking manner when the door is opened and closed.

The height controller includes a plurality of hooking portions formed at one side of the hinge portion in a circumferential direction; a selection lever for determining whether to lock the hinge portion or not; locking members selectively coupled to the hooking portions by the selection lever; and a lever bracket portion fixed to the door, and to which the selection lever and the locking members are coupled.

The selection lever is exposed to outside of the lever bracket portion, and is configured so that a lifting mode, a lowering mode, and a neutral mode of the hinge portion can be selected.

The hinge portion is rotated by being locked by the height controller only in one state of an opened state and a closed state of the door.

The hooking portions are formed in a lengthwise direction of the hinge portion, and are implemented as a plurality of grooves entirely formed at the hinge portion in a circumferential direction.

The locking members are disposed at both sides of the hooking portions, and have one side rotatably coupled to the lever bracket portion. And, the locking members come in contact with the hooking portion by the selection lever, thereby selectively locking rotation of the hinge portion in one direction.

Advantageous Effects

The refrigerator according to the present invention has the following advantages.

Since the door has a controllable height by being opened and closed, a moment arm becomes longer than when using the conventional tool such as a spanner. This may allow the height of the door to be controlled by using less force.

Also, since the height of the door is controllable at a user's eye height, the user may control the height of the door more rapidly and precisely without errors.

Furthermore, since the door has a controllable height by being merely opened and closed, may be solved a user's inconvenience to provide an additional tool.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference toFIG. 1.

FIG. 1is a view showing inside and appearance of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, a refrigerator100according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a body101having a storage chamber102for storing various items to be stored, and a door103for selectively shielding the storage chamber102.

The body101is composed of an outer case that forms appearance of the refrigerator100, and an inner case that forms a wall surface of the storage chamber102. An insulating material is filled between the outer case and the inner case, thereby insulating inside of the body101from outside.

The storage chamber102is composed of a refrigerating chamber102afor freshly storing items such as food and beverage in a cooled state, and a freezing chamber102bfor storing items such as fish and meat in a frozen state.

FIG. 1illustrates the body101in which the refrigerating chamber102ais disposed at an upper side, and the freezing chamber102bis disposed at a lower side. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of the refrigerator can be made in the present invention.

For instance, the refrigerating chamber102aand the freezing chamber102bmay be horizontally provided side by side. Alternatively, the refrigerating chamber102amay be provided at a lower side of the freezing chamber102b.

The door103serves to shield the storage chamber102from outside. And, the door103may be composed of a refrigerating chamber door103afor shielding the refrigerating chamber102a, and a freezing chamber door103bfor shielding the freezing chamber102b.

The door103may be provided to be hinge-coupled to the body101by a hinge coupling portion109that supports the body101in a rotation-movable state centering around one side of the body101. However, as shown inFIG. 1, the door103may be implemented as a withdrawing type door. The number of the door103for shielding one storage chamber102is not limited to one, but may be two or more than.

The hinge coupling portions109are provided on upper and lower surfaces of the door.

Variable modifications of the door103are well known to those skilled in the art, and detailed constructions and operations thereof will be omitted.

Shelves104, drawers105, a basket106, etc. for storing food items may be provided in the refrigerating chamber102aand the freezing chamber102b. A door basket107may be provided on a rear surface of the freezing chamber door103a, i.e., on a surface toward the refrigerating chamber102when the freezing chamber door103ais closed.

A dispenser108may be provided at the door103so that water or ice can be drawn out from outside of the body101.

Although not shown inFIG. 1, a refrigeration cycle that generates cooled air to be supplied to the storage chamber102is provided at one side of the body101, i.e., on a rear surface of the body101. In order to supply cooled air to the storage chamber102, a cool air supply apparatus is provided at the body.

The refrigeration cycle uses a refrigerant as operation fluid, and generates cooled air through compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation processes. A refrigeration cycle may be properly selected by those skilled in the art according to a usage purpose of the refrigerator100. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the refrigeration cycle will be omitted.

The refrigerator100according to the present invention is provided with a height control unit130for controlling the height of the door103by merely opening and closing the door103in a repetitive manner.

Since the height of the door103is controllable by a user or a manufacturer without an additional tool, the refrigerator100may have a fine appearance. And, this also prevents leakage of cool air from the storage chamber102occurring as the storage chamber102is not completely shielded by the door103due to an unsuitable height of the door103.

Hereinafter, the height control unit130of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail.

FIG. 2is an exploded perspective view of a height control unit ofFIG. 1, andFIG. 3is an assembled perspective view of the height control unit ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the height control unit130includes a hinge portion110for supporting the door103, and a height controller120for controlling the height of the door103by selectively rotating the hinge portion110.

At least one of the hinge coupling portions109may be replaced with the height control unit130. Accordingly, the height control unit130is installed on one of upper and lower surfaces of the door103, thereby supporting the door103.

The height control unit130may further include a hinge bracket portion117fixed to the body101, and to which the hinge portion110is screw-coupled so as to be movable in upper and lower directions. The hinge bracket portion117is coupled to one side of the body101. And, a through hole117ahaving a female screw portion to which the hinge portion110is screw-coupled is formed at another side of the body101.

The hinge portion110is provided in upper and lower directions of the body101so as to serve as a rotation shaft of the door103. One end of the hinge portion110is screw-coupled to the body101so as to be movable in upper and lower directions. And, another end of the hinge portion110is inserted into an insertion groove103cformed on an upper surface of a lower surface of the door103, thereby rotatably supporting the door103.

Under this configuration, the hinge portion110is rotated to lift up or lower the door103.

The height controller120is provided so as to rotate the hinge portion110by interworking with an opening operation or a closing operation of the door103.

Hereinafter, the height controller120will be explained in more detail.

The height controller120includes locking members123selectively contacting the hinge portion110for transmitting a rotational force to the hinge portion110, a selection lever121for controlling contact between the locking members123and the hinge portion110, hooking portions113formed at the hinge portion110, and a lever bracket portion125fixed to the door103, and to which the selection lever121and the locking members123are coupled.

The hooking portions113are entirely formed along the circumference of the hinge portion110, and are implemented as a plurality of grooves formed in a lengthwise direction of the hinge portion110.

Preferably, the hooking portions113are formed to be protruding from the hinge portion110by a predetermined length in a radius direction of the hinge portion110. Accordingly, the hooking portions113are preferably protruding from the circumference of the hinge portion110.

Since the length of the hooking portions113serves as a moment arm of a rotation force transmitted to the hinge portion110, a large rotation force can be transmitted to the hinge portion110due to the locking members123with less force when the door103is opened and closed.

The locking members123are provided so as to selectively come in contact with the hooking portions113by the selection lever121.

The locking members123are provided at both sides of the hooking portions113in a radius direction. One side of the locking members123is rotatably coupled to the lever bracket portion125, and another side of the locking members123is rotated by the selection lever121thus to come in contact with the hooking portions113.

The locking members123come in contact with the hooking portions113as one side thereof is coupled to the lever bracket portion125by an elastic member.

The locking members123lock the hinge portion110when the door103is in one state of an opened state and a closed state, thereby transmitting a rotational force to the hinge portion110so that the hinge portion110can be rotated in one direction. However, when the door103is in another state of an opened state and a closed state, the locked state of the hinge portion110is released.

Accordingly, only when the door103is in one state of an opened state and a closed state, the hinge portion110is rotated to be lifted up or lowered.

Whether to lift up or lower the hinge portion110may be determined according to which one of the two locking members123disposed at both sides of the hooking portions113come in contact with the hooking portions113.

The selection lever121may determined whether to lift up or lower the hinge portion110.

The selection lever121is rotatably coupled to the lever bracket portion125, and is installed to come in contact with the locking members123.

The selection lever121is exposed to outside of the lever bracket portion125, and is configured so that a lifting mode, a lowering mode, and a neutral mode of the hinge portion110can be selected.

A contact portion121aformed at a front end of the selection lever121contacting the locking members123is provided in a predetermined cam shape so that only one of the two locking members123can come in contact with the hooking portions113when the selection lever121is rotated.

Preferably, the contact portion121aof the selection lever121is formed in an approximate triangular shape. And, vertexes disposed at both ends of a lower edge preferably come in contact with the locking members123.

Contact grooves123aare formed at contact parts between the locking members123and the selection lever121. A status that the contact grooves123acome in contact with the vertexes of the contact portion121ais referred to as ‘neutral mode’, and one of the contact grooves123ais separated from the contact portion121ais referred to as ‘lifting or lowering mode’.

In the lifting or lowering mode, the locking members123come in contact with the edges of the triangular contact portion, thereby coming in contact with the hooking portions113.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the lifting or lowering mode can be controlled by a manufacturer's selection.

The lever bracket portion125is formed as the locking members123and the selection lever121are coupled to each other, and is insertion-fixed to an upper surface of a lower surface of the door103.

Preferably, a bracket accommodating portion103dfor inserting the lever bracket portion125is formed at the hinge coupling portion109of the door103having the height control unit130.

The lever bracket portion125is configured to be rotated together when the door103is rotated. And, the selection lever121and the locking members123coupled to the lever bracket portion125selectively rotate the hinge portion110.

At the end of the hinge portion110, preferably formed is a separation prevention portion115for preventing separation of the hinge portion110from the hinge bracket portion117due to excessive rotation.

Hereinafter, a coupling process between the height control unit130and the refrigerating chamber door103awill be explained in more detail with reference toFIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4is a view showing a coupling process between the height control unit ofFIG. 3and a door, andFIG. 5is a sectional view taken along line ‘I-I’ inFIG. 4.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, the selection lever121and the locking members123are coupled to the lever bracket portion125.

Here, the contact portion121aof the selection lever121is fitted into the contact grooves123aof the locking members123. And, one side of the locking members123is coupled to an inner side surface of the lever bracket portion125and an elastic member125athus to be supported.

Then, the hinge portion110is fitted into the lever bracket portion125so that the hooking portions113can be disposed between the two locking members123.

Under this state, a lower side of the hinge portion110is screw-coupled to one side of the body101or the hinge bracket portion117, and the lever bracket portion125is accommodated in the bracket accommodating portion103dformed on a lower surface of the door103. And, the hinge portion110supports the door103.

As the door103is repeatedly opened and closed by the selection lever121, the door103is lifted up or lowered.

Hereinafter, a process for controlling the height of the door103by the height control unit130in the refrigerator according to the present invention will be explained with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6is a view showing an operation state of a height controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 7is a view showing a coupled state between a selection lever and locking members in a neutral state of the height control unit ofFIG. 6.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, when the selection lever121is in a neutral mode, the vertexes of the contact portion121aof the selection lever121come in contact with the contact grooves123aof the locking members123. This may prevent the locking members123from coming in contact with the hooking portions113.

This may cause the hinge portion110not to be rotated even if the door103is repeatedly opened and closed by a user or a manufacturer. Accordingly, the door103may maintain a constant height.

However, when the selection lever121is moved to one direction by a user or a manufacturer, one of the locking members123comes in contact with the edge of the contact portion121aof the selection lever121, thereby contacting the hooking portions113.

Under this state, when the door103is counterclockwise rotated (direction of ‘A’ inFIG. 6), the hinge portion110is rotated by the locking members123.

Accordingly, the hinge portion110is lifted up or lowered by performing a relative motion with respect to the hinge bracket portion117screw-coupled to the hinge portion110, or the body101.

On the contrary, when the selection lever121is downward moved inFIG. 6, the locking members123disposed at an upper side of the selection lever121come in contact with the hooking portions113. Accordingly, the hinge portion110is clockwise rotated.