Abstract:
There is provided a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator. The guide apparatus includes two extendable arms and a guide link guiding the movement of the extendable arms. The guide apparatus is installed between the display and the refrigerator to smoothly extend and retract the display in forward and backward directions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a guide apparatus for a display installed on a refrigerator door. Still more particularly, the guide apparatus is designed such that the display installed on the refrigerator can be smoothly and straightforwardly extended from the refrigerator and the display can be swiveled at a predetermined angle without deviation, thereby preventing the display from interfering with the outer wall or other parts of the refrigerator.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A refrigerator is an electrical appliance for cooling or freezing food to preserve the food. The refrigerator includes a main body, in which a chilling chamber and a freezing chamber are formed to store food. The chilling chamber is kept at a low temperature above the freezing point of water, and the freezing chamber is kept at a low temperature below the freezing point. Also, the refrigerator includes a chilling chamber door and a freezing chamber door to selectively open the chilling chamber and the freezing chamber. The chilling chamber and freezing chamber are supplied with cooling air that is cooled by a refrigerant. The refrigerant is sequentially compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated to take heat from the air inside the refrigerator to produce the cooling air.  
         [0005]     To increase user&#39;s convenience, some of the refrigerators are being provided at a front of its door with a water purifier system or a display.  
         [0006]     The display shows the temperature and humidity inside the refrigerator. Also, the display shows the state of the food inside of the refrigerator. Further, a wide-screen display can be mounted on the front of the refrigerator to provide various services for the users. For example, the users can connect Internet and watch television broadcasting and movies with the wide-screen display. For this purpose, a wider display occupying the most area of the refrigerator may be mounted on the refrigerator door.  
         [0007]     A flat type display such as a slim LCD may be suitable for the refrigerator because its thin thickness decreases the insulation thickness of the refrigerator door even less. The flat display, however, has a drawback in that when the user views the display at a certain angle the refrigerator door handle may disposed between the display and the user, creating a dead angle. Moreover, since LCDs and PDPs, representative flat type displays, have a narrow viewing angle, the viewer can view clear images only when the viewer views the LCD/PDP within a limited angle range.  
         [0008]     To obviate such problems, an installation structure of the display is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0033709, filed on Jun. 19, 2000, and entitled “The installation structure of a display unit for a refrigerator”, in which the display can be tilted in up and down directions.  
         [0009]     In the disclosed invention, however, an accommodation recess defined in a refrigerator door must be deepened to allow tilting motion of a display installed therein, affecting the thickness of the refrigerator door. That is, insulation material should be added to supplement the decreased insulation thickness.  
         [0010]     Further, the disclosed invention is designed such that a hinge mechanism formed at each side of the display only allows the display to be tilted in up and down directions. Therefore, the narrow viewing angle in left and right directions and the dead angle due to the refrigerator door handle are not obviated.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0012]     An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator, in which an accommodation portion accommodating the display can be formed to have a minimized depth to prevent decrease in the insulation thickness of a refrigerator door.  
         [0013]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator, which removes user&#39;s inconvenience due to the narrow viewing angle of the display.  
         [0014]     A further another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator, which removes user&#39;s inconvenience due to the dead angle caused by a door handle disposed between the user and the display.  
         [0015]     A still further another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator and guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator, which enables the display to be extended straightforwardly from the refrigerator without interference with other parts of the refrigerator such a door handle and an outer case. Therefore, the display can be used more conveniently.  
         [0016]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention 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.  
         [0017]     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 chamber kept at a low temperature; a door selectively opening and closing the chamber; an accommodation portion formed at an outer surface of the door; a display extendable from the accommodation portion; and at least one pair of extendable arms connected between the display and the accommodation portion.  
         [0018]     In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes: a chamber kept at a low temperature; a door selectively opening and closing the chamber; an accommodation portion formed at an outer surface of the door; a display extendable from the accommodation portion; a first extendable arm hinged between the display and a first portion of the accommodation portion; and a second extendable arm hinged between the display and a second portion of the accommodation portion, the second portion being symmetrical to the first portion, wherein the first and second extendable arms include at least two members slidable in the same direction for extending and retracting motions.  
         [0019]     In a further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guide apparatus for a display of a refrigerator, including: a fixing bracket fixed to the display; a mounting panel fixed to the refrigerator; two extendable arms connecting a portion of the fixing bracket with both sides of the mounting panel; and two guide links connecting the mounting panel with the extendable arms to enable the two extendable arms to be extended by the same length, the two guide links making contact with each other at at least one point.  
         [0020]     According to the present invention, the user can operate the display more easily and view the display without inconveniences caused by the dead angle and the narrow viewing angle.  
         [0021]     Further, the display is prevented from interference with the refrigerator when the display is extended and retracted, thereby increasing durability of the display.  
         [0022]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention, in which a display is separated from the refrigerator;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a guide unit according to the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to the present invention, in which a display is located in a retracted position; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to the present invention, in which a display is being extended or is swiveled after extended.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a refrigerator  1  includes a door  200  to selective open the refrigerator  1 , a door handle  400  for a user to pull the door  200  to open the refrigerator  1 , and a display  300  mounted on the door  200 . The display  300  is extendable from the door  200 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention, in which a display is separated from the refrigerator. A structure related to the extending motion of the display  300  from the door  200  will now be described with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the door  200  defines a recessed accommodation portion  210  in a front to accommodate the display  300 . When assembled, a guide unit  100  is connected between the accommodation portion  210  and the display  100  to guide extending and retracting motions of the display  300  from and into the accommodation portion  210 .  
         [0034]     An operation of the guide unit  100  will now be described.  
         [0035]     When the display  300  is not used or is used in a retracted position, the guide unit  100  holds the display  330  to be securely accommodated in the accommodation portion  210 . When a user wants to view the display  300  more closely, or the user is located at a dead angle area where other part such as the door handle  400  is disposed between the user and the display  300 , or the user is located outside the viewing angle range of the display  300 , the display  300  can be moved to a desired location. That is, the display  300  can be extended from the retraced position in the accommodation portion  210  and then its orientation can be adjusted. The guide unit  100  enables smooth and secure extending and adjusting motions of the display  300 .  
         [0036]     The guide unit  100  shifts the display in a linear direction when extending the display from the accommodation portion  210  to prevent interference with neighboring parts such as the door handle  400 . Also, the guide unit  100  stably supports the weight of the display  300 . Further, the guide unit  100  enables the display  300  to be securely accommodated in the accommodation portion  210  that is shallow, such that decrease in the insulation thickness of the door  200  due to the accommodation portion  210  can be minimized. A structure of the guide unit  100  which provides above-mentioned functions will now be described.  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a guide unit according to the present invention.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when assembled, the guide unit  100  is disposed in the accommodation portion  210  to connect the display  300  with the door  200  and to extend the display  300  from the accommodation portion  210 .  
         [0039]     The guide unit  100  includes a mounting panel  110 , a fixing bracket  140 , and extendable arms  120 . When assembled, the mounting panel  110  is fixed to the accommodation portion  210 , the fixing bracket  140  supports the display  300 , and the extendable arms  120  are connected between the mounting panel  110  and the fixing bracket  140 .  
         [0040]     Since the extendable arms  120  are hinged between the mounting panel  110  and the fixing bracket  140 , the extendable arms  120  are capable of pivoting with respect to the mounting panel  110  and the fixing bracket  140 . Also, the extendable arms  120  are capable of extending as they swivel outwardly, such that the extending motion of the display  300  can be stably supported by the extendable arms  120 .  
         [0041]     A structure of the guide unit  100  will now be more fully described.  
         [0042]     The mounting panel  110  is fixed to a predetermined portion on the accommodation portion  210 . For example, fasteners such as volts and rivets may be used to fix the mounting panel  110  to the accommodation portion  210 , or the mounting panel  110  may be welded to the accommodation portion  210 .  
         [0043]     The mounting panel  110  includes hinge socket portions  112  at each side to couple with hinge pin portions  122  formed on a side guide  121  of each extendable arm  120 . Each of the extendable arms  120  includes the side guide  121  and a side arm  130 . The side arm  130  is movably installed in the side guide  121  to enable the extension of the extension arm  120 . The side guide  121  is formed with guard walls  124  to prevent the side arm  130  from deviation, such that the movement of the side arm  130  can be stably guided in a length direction.  
         [0044]     In operation, the side arm  130  slides in the side guide  121 , and the guard walls  124  prevents the side arm  130  departing from the side guide  121  in a lateral direction to restrict the movement of the side arm  130  in the length direction. A stopping structure may be formed on the inner wall of the side guide  121  to restrict the extending motion of the side arm  130  within a limited range. In the accompanying drawings, though each part included in the extendable arm  120  has a rectangular section, it can have other shapes. For example, a side arm having a circular section may be slidably inserted in a side guide having a circular section, such as a foldable antenna used in a cellular phone or a radio set.  
         [0045]     An elastic member such as compression spring  135  is disposed between the side guide  121  and the side arm  130  to urge the side arm  130  toward an extended position. In stead of the compression spring  135 , other types of springs such as a leaf spring and a spiral spring can be used. For example, when the spiral spring is used, the center of the spiral spring may be disposed at a predetermined portion of the side arm  130  and an end of the spiral spring may be abutted against a predetermined portion of the side guide  121 . This configuration of the spiral spring may be seen in a watch having a spiral spring.  
         [0046]     The side arms  130  include knuckles  132  and  133  that are aligned with hinge holes  142  defined in the fixing bracket  140 . A hinge pin  131  is inserted in the hinge holes  142  and the knuckles  131  and  133 . Therefore, the fixing bracket  140  can be swiveled with respect to the side arms  130 , and the side arms  130  can securely support the fixing bracket  140 .  
         [0047]     The fixing bracket  140  is          -shaped with its open back facing toward the mounting panel  110 . Inside the fixing bracket  140 , a space is defined to receive the side arms  130 . In detail, the fixing bracket  140  is opened at it back to receive some portions of the side arms  130  when the side arms  130  swivel around the hinge holes  142 . That is, the fixing bracket  140  covers the side arms  130  when the side arms  130  are retracted. Also, the fixing bracket  140  prevents the side arms  130  from protruding outward.  
         [0048]     Guide links  150  are connected between the side arms  130  and the mounting panel  110 . The guide links  150  include one ends rotatably connected to a link bracket  115  formed on the mounting panel  110  and the other ends rotatably connected to link fixtures  136  respectively formed on the side arms  130 . The one ends of the guide links  150  are respectively formed with gears  152  are engaged with each other. The guide links  150  are rotated to guide the extendable arms  120  when the extendable arms  120  is extended and retracted. Since the guide links  150  are rotatably connected between the mounting panel  110  and the side arms  130  and the gears  152  of the guide links  150  are engaged with each other, the display  300  can be extended straightforwardly from the accommodation portion  210 . In detail, when one side of the display  300  tends to extends ahead of the other side of the display  300 , one of the gears  152  near the one side of the display  300  rotates the other one of the gears  152  to push the side arm  130  adjacent to the other side of the display  300 , such that the extendable arms  120  can be extended equally to push the display  300  without deviation.  
         [0049]     When assembled, the mounting panel  110  is fixed to the accommodation portion  210  of the door  200  and the fixing bracket  140  is fixed to a back of the display  300 . The guide unit  100  having above mentioned structure has a triangular shape when assembled.  
         [0050]     To stable hold the display  300  in the retracted position, the display  300  is formed with hooks (refer to  161  in  FIG. 4 ) at its back, and the mounting panel  110  is formed with hook holders (refer to  162  in  FIG. 4 ). For the same purpose, other fasteners can be used instead of the hooks  161  and the hook holders  12 . For example, a fastener utilizing frictional force, a magnet fastener, and a Velcro fastener can be used.  
         [0051]     An operation of the present invention will now be more fully described with reference to cross-sectional views of a refrigerator door.  
         [0052]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to the present invention, in which a display is located in a retracted position, and  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to the present invention, in which a display is being extended.  
         [0053]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when a user views the display  300  that is retracted in the accommodation portion  210  of the door  200 , the door handle  400  can be disposed between the user and the display  300  to disturb the user&#39;s viewing or the user cannot view clear images due to the narrow viewing angle of the display  300 . In this case, the user can extend the display  300  from the retracted position and swivel the display  300  to a desired direction.  
         [0054]     The extending movement of the display  300  will now be more fully described. After the hooks  161  are released from the hook holders  162 , the elastic force of the compression springs  135  pushes the side arms  130  outward from the side guides  121  to extend the display  300  from the door  200 .  
         [0055]     When the display  300  is extended, the guide links  150  connected between the mounting panel  110  and the side arms  130  are operated. In detail, since the extending motions of the extendable arms  120  are associated with each other by the guide links  150  of which the gears  152  are engaged with each other, the extendable arms  120  can be extended equally. Therefore, the fixing bracket  140  on which the display  300  is fixed can be extended only in a perpendicular direction to the door  200  to prevent the display  300  from interfering with other parts of the door  200 . After the display  300  is extended, the user can view the display  300  without obstruction of the door handle  400 .  
         [0056]     Further, since the extendable arms  120  are hinged to the fixing bracket  140  on the same hinge axis, the extended fixing bracket  140  can be swiveled on the hinge axis. Therefore, the user can swivel the extended display  300  right or left to view the display  300  without inconveniences caused by the door handle  400  and the narrow viewing angle of the display  300 .  
         [0057]     The extended display  300  can be retracted into the accommodation portion  210  by pushing the display  300  inwardly. When the display  300  is retracted, it is secured in the retracted position by the hooks  161  and the hook holders  162 . That is, the display  300  can be stably accommodated in the accommodation portion  300  when it is not applied with external force.  
         [0058]     According to the present invention, the display can be straightforwardly extended from the accommodation portion without deviation, thereby preventing the display from interference with other parts of the refrigerator such as the door handle.  
         [0059]     Further, since the user can swivel the display in a desired direction to remove the obstruction of the door handle or the inconvenience due to the narrow viewing angle of the display, such that the user can view clear images regardless of his/her location.  
         [0060]     Furthermore, the extending and swiveling structure of the display are attained without increasing the depth of the accommodation portion of the refrigerator door, such that the insulation thickness of the door is not decreased.  
         [0061]     As another embodiment of the present invention, an additional extendable arm can be disposed between the display and the accommodation portion to support the weight of the display more securely.  
         [0062]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.