Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a dispenser for a refrigerator. The dispenser includes a housing that is mounted on a front surface of a door to define an external appearance and has a recessed portion formed to be depressed rearward; a dispensing port for discharging water delivered from a main body of the refrigerator to the recessed portion of the housing, a water-dispensing button unit having a water-dispensing button pressed by force exerted by a user to receive a signal necessary for the discharge of the water from the dispensing port; an actuating switch operated by the water-dispensing button unit to generate a signal for opening and closing the dispensing port; and a driving lever for connecting the actuating switch and the water-dispensing button to drive the actuating switch by the operation of the water-dispensing button According to the present invention, the water discharged from the dispensing port is effectively avoided from being transferred to the actuating switch, thereby preventing the occurrence of a short circuit in the actuating switch.

Full Description:
This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 10-2003-0020073 filed in Korea on Mar. 31, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a dispenser for a refrigerator, which can allow water to be dispensed outside without opening a door of the refrigerator. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Refrigerators recently sold on the market have dispensers that allow water to be dispensed from the interiors of the refrigerators to the outside without opening doors of the refrigerators. Since the dispensers can allow water to be dispensed without opening the doors of the refrigerators, they can prevent cold air within the refrigerators from leaking out and also provide users with convenience of use of the refrigerators. The dispensers are typically installed at the doors of the refrigerators. Generally, a portion of an outer surface of a door of each refrigerator is recessed inward, and a dispenser is then installed within the recessed portion. 
     FIG. 1  shows a front face of a refrigerator with a dispenser. In the refrigerator, a storage space is formed within a main body  10  of the refrigerator. The storage space roughly comprises a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber. The refrigerating and freezing chambers are opened and closed by a refrigerating chamber door  12  and a freezing chamber door  14 , respectively. Reference numerals  16  and  16 ′ designate handles for the doors of the refrigerator. 
   A dispenser  18  is provided on a front surface of the door  12 . The dispenser  18  is supplied with water from the main body  10  through a water supply tube  20  installed within the door  12 . The water supply tube  20  is installed through a hinge portion on which the door  12  pivots to be opened and closed. 
   The dispenser  18  is provided with a water-dispensing button  24  operated by a user, and a dispensing port  26  at a position adjacent to the water-dispensing button  24 . Water delivered from a water reservoir (not shown) installed within the main body  10  through the water supply tube  20  is discharged from the dispensing port  26 . That is, when the user pushes the water-dispensing button  24  upward, the water delivered from the water reservoir (not shown) installed within the main body  10  is discharged from the dispensing port  26 . 
   The dispensing port  26  is typically provided on a ceiling of a recessed portion in the door  12  where the dispenser  18  is installed. The water-dispensing button  24  is formed to protrude behind and downward beyond the dispensing port  26 . Reference numeral  28  designates a water-collecting portion for collecting remaining water. 
   Meanwhile,  FIG. 2  shows the configuration of a major portion of the dispenser  18 . That is, the water-dispensing button  24  is mounted slidably upward and downward in the dispenser  18 , an actuating switch  30  is placed at a relatively upper position over the water-dispensing button  24 , and the dispensing port  26  is installed at an upper position above and in front of the water-dispensing button  24  and at a leading end of the water supply tube  20  so as to discharge water downward. 
   Therefore, when the water-dispensing button  24  is pushed upward, a resilient rib  32  of the actuating switch  30  interlocked with the water-dispensing button  24  is also pushed upward so that the actuating switch  30  can be turned on. The dispensing port  26  is opened upon reception of a signal from the actuating switch  30  and allows water to be dispensed outside. 
   However, such a conventional refrigerator described above has the following problems. 
   Since the water-dispensing button  24  is generally operated by a cup, the dispensing port  26  is inevitably installed in the vicinity of the water-dispensing button  24  to securely deliver water to the cup. Further, the resilient rib  32  of the actuating switch  30  is connected directly to the water-dispensing button  24  in the prior art. Thus, the actuating switch  30 , the water-dispensing button  24  and the dispensing port  26  are inevitably installed to be closer to one another. 
   In view of such a constitution, water may be easily transferred to the actuating switch  30  if the direction of the water discharged from the dispensing port  26  deviates slightly or water leaks out at a connection of the dispensing port  26  to the water supply tube  20 . Moreover, since the resilient rib  32  is connected directly to the water supply button  24 , water splashed on the water-dispensing button  24  may be transferred to the actuating switch  30  via the resilient rib  32 . 
   Consequently, since water may be easily transferred to the actuating switch  30  in the prior art, a short circuit may occur in the actuating switch, resulting in damage to the actuating switch  30  in critical circumstances. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is conceived to solve the problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to protect an actuating switch for providing signals for opening and closing a dispensing port of a dispenser for a refrigerator against water. 
   According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the object, there is provided a dispenser for a refrigerator, comprising a housing that is mounted on a front surface of a door to define an external appearance and has a recessed portion formed to be depressed rearward; a dispensing port for discharging water delivered from a main body of the refrigerator to the recessed portion of the housing; a water-dispensing button unit having a water-dispensing button pressed by means of force exerted by a user to receive a signal necessary for the discharge of the water from the dispensing port; an actuating switch operated by the water-dispensing button unit to generate a signal for opening and closing the dispensing port; and a driving lever for connecting the actuating switch and the water-dispensing button to drive the actuating switch by means of the operation of the water-dispensing button. 
   A penetration portion may be formed at an upper end of the recessed portion of the housing so that the water discharged from the dispensing port can be delivered to the recessed portion. 
   The water-dispensing button unit may comprise a support frame for guiding the movement of the water-dispensing button; and a resilient member disposed between the support frame and the water-dispensing button to provide force to the water-dispensing button in one direction. 
   The water-dispensing button unit may be provided, at mutually corresponding positions of the water-dispensing button and the support frame, with catching ribs and guide ribs for guiding the movement of the water-dispensing button and regulating the moved position of the water-dispensing button, respectively. 
   An ON/OFF driving protrusion of the actuating switch may be operated by an elastically deformable resilient rib provided at a side of the actuating switch, and the resilient rib may be operated by one end of the driving lever. 
   The driving lever may pivots on a hinge portion such that both ends thereof move in the same manner as a seesaw, and one end of the driving lever may be connected to and interlocked with the water-dispensing button through a connection protrusion and the other end thereof may be in contact and interlocked with the actuating switch. 
   The other end of the driving lever that is in contact with the actuating switch may be placed at a position relatively higher than the end of the driving lever that is connected to the water-dispensing button with respect to the hinge portion. 
   The both ends of the driving lever may define a predetermined angle around the hinge portion, and the other end of the driving lever that is in contact with the actuating switch may be placed at a position relatively higher than the end of the driving lever that is connected to the water-dispensing button. 
   The dispenser may further comprise a partition between the actuating switch and the dispensing port. 
   The dispensing port, the actuating switch and the driving lever may be placed in a seating recess formed to be depressed on the front surface of the door, and the water-dispensing button unit may be provided at an upper end of the recessed portion of the housing. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for a refrigerator, comprising a housing that is mounted on a front surface of a door to define an external appearance and has a recessed portion formed to be depressed rearward; a dispensing port for discharging water delivered from a main body of the refrigerator through a penetration portion formed at an upper end of the recessed portion of the housing; a water-dispensing button unit having a water-dispensing button pressed by means of force exerted by a user to receive a signal necessary for the discharge of the water from the dispensing port; an actuating switch operated by the water-dispensing button unit and turned on and off in such a manner that a resilient rib provided at a side of the actuating switch presses a driving protrusion thereof by means of elastic deformation of the resilient rib so as to generate a signal for opening and closing the dispensing port; a driving lever for connecting the actuating switch and the water-dispensing button to drive the actuating switch by means of the operation of the water-dispensing button; and a partition disposed between the actuating switch and the dispensing port to prevent the water discharged from the dispensing port from being transferred to the actuating switch. 
   The water-dispensing button unit may comprise a support frame for guiding the movement of the water-dispensing button; and a resilient member disposed between the support frame and the water-dispensing button to provide force to the water-dispensing button in one direction. 
   The driving lever may pivot on a hinge portion such that both ends thereof move in the same manner as a seesaw, and one end of the driving lever may be connected to and interlocked with the water-dispensing button through a connection protrusion and the other end thereof may be in contact and interlocked with the actuating switch. 
   The other end of the driving lever that is in contact with the actuating switch may be placed at a position relatively higher than the end of the driving lever that is connected to the water-dispensing button with respect to the hinge portion. 
   The both ends of the driving lever may define a predetermined angle around the hinge portion, and the other end of the driving lever that is in contact with the actuating switch may be placed at a position relatively higher than the end of the driving lever that is connected to the water-dispensing button. 
   According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that it is possible to prevent a short circuit occurring in the actuating switch due to water dispensed by the dispenser. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view showing a front face of a conventional refrigerator; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the configuration of a major portion of a conventional dispenser for a refrigerator; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing the inner configuration of a refrigerator employing a preferred embodiment of a dispenser for a refrigerator according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view showing the configuration of a front face of the refrigerator employing the embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a major portion of the embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a major portion of the embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a dispenser for a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing the inner configuration of a refrigerator employing a dispenser for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a front view showing the configuration of a front face of the refrigerator employing the dispenser according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
   As shown in the figures, the interior of a main body  50  of the refrigerator is partitioned into a refrigerating chamber  52  and a freezing chamber  54  in an up and down direction. The refrigerating chamber  52  is disposed at a relatively upper portion of the main body  50 , and the freezing chamber  54  is disposed at a relatively lower portion thereof. 
   The main body  50  is provided with a refrigerating chamber door  56  and a freezing chamber door  58  to selectively open and close the refrigerating and freezing chambers  52  and  54 , respectively. In the embodiment, the door  56  is pivotably supported by the main body  50  through hinges  57  provided at right upper and lower ends in  FIG. 3 . 
   The refrigerating and freezing chamber doors  56  and  58  are provided with door handles  56 ′ and  58 ′, respectively. The door handles  56 ′ and  58 ′ are portions that a user grasps with his/her hand to exert force thereon, thereby opening and closing the doors  56  and  58 . 
   A filter  60  is installed within the refrigerating chamber  52 . The filter  60  serves to purify water. The filter  60  is supplied with the water through a supply tube  62  connected to an external water supply source  61 . 
   A valve  64  is provided at a side of the main body  50 . The valve  64  serves to distribute the water, which has passed through the filter  60 , among a water reservoir  66 , an ice maker  68  and the like. The water reservoir  66  and the ice maker  68  are provided in the refrigerating and freezing chambers  52  and  54 , respectively. The water reservoir  66  stores the water purified by the filter  60 , and the ice maker  68  makes ice from the water purified by the filter  60 . 
   The main body  50  is provided with main body-side tubing  70  for delivering the water stored in the water reservoir  66  to the refrigerating chamber door  56 . A leading end of the main body-side tubing  70  is exposed beyond an upper end of the main body  50  and extends through the upper hinge  57  to communicate with door-side tubing  72  installed within the door  56 . 
   The door-side tubing  72  is installed through an insulation layer  78  formed between an outer case  74  for defining an external appearance of at least a front surface of the refrigerating chamber door  56  and an inner case  76  for defining an external appearance of a back surface of the refrigerating chamber door. 
   Meanwhile, a dispenser  80  is provided in the front surface of the door  56 . The dispenser  80  is a portion for dispensing the water delivered from the water reservoir  66  to the outside of the door  56 . An external appearance of the dispenser  80  is defined by a housing  81 . The housing  81  is mounted on the outer case  74  for constituting the front surface of the door  56 . 
   The housing  81  has a recessed portion  81 ′ formed in such a manner that a front surface of the housing is depressed rearward. A corresponding recessed portion should also be formed in a front surface of the outer case  74  at a position corresponding to the recessed portion  81 ′. A penetration portion  82  is formed at an upper end of the recessed portion  81 ′. The penetration portion  82  is a portion through which water that will be discharged through a dispensing port  84  or the like to be described later is delivered to the recessed portion  81 ′. A drain water collector  83  is provided at a lower end of the recessed portion  81 ′. 
   The dispensing port  84  is provided at a leading end of the door-side tubing  72 . The dispensing port  84  allows the water delivered from the water reservoir  66  to be discharged through the penetration portion  82  to a cup placed in the recessed portion  81 ′. Both side ends of the dispensing port  84  are provided with fixing portions  84 ′. 
   A seating recess  85  is formed to be depressed on the outer case  74  at a position corresponding to the penetration portion  82  of the housing  81  and a back surface of a portion of the housing above the penetration portion. The seating recess  85  may be formed on the outer case  74  itself, or on a surface of the insulation layer  78  by partially cutting away a corresponding portion of the outer case  74 . The seating recess  85  cannot be easily viewed from the outside since it is concealed by the housing  81 . 
   Fastening bosses  86  for fixing the dispensing port  84  are formed at respective positions within and adjacent to the seating recess  85 . One of the fastening bosses  86  is formed to protrude by a predetermined height within the seating recess  85 , and the other of the fastening bosses is formed to be slightly depressed at a position adjacent to the seating recess  85 . Fastening holes are formed in the fastening bosses  86 , respectively. 
   A partition  90  is formed over a predetermined range within the seating recess  85 . The partition  90  divides the interior of the seating recess into a portion where the door-side tubing  72  and the dispensing port  84  are placed and a portion where an actuating switch  92  is installed. More specifically, the partition  92  serves to prevent the water discharged from the dispensing port  84  or the like from being transferred to the actuating switch  92 . 
   The actuating switch  92  is operated by a water-dispensing button  112  to be described later and serves to allow water to be discharged through the dispensing port  84 . For example, the actuating switch  92  operates a valve disposed between the dispensing port  84  and the water reservoir  66  so that water can be discharged from the water reservoir  66  through the dispensing port  84 . 
   The actuating switch  92  is formed with an elongated, protruding resilient rib  94  and a driving protrusion  96  that comes into contact with the resilient rib  94 . The driving protrusion  96  is pressed by the resilient rib  94  and then senses an operating signal. Reference numeral  98  designates a connection terminal. The operating switch  92  is installed in a region of the seating recess  85  isolated from the dispensing port  84  by means of the partition  90 . 
   A driving lever  100  is installed in the seating recess  85 . The driving lever  100  is constructed to pivot on a hinge portion  102  so that both ends of the driving lever can move in the same manner as a seesaw. Further, the driving lever  100  is constructed such that the both ends thereof define a predetermined angle around the hinge portion  102  rather than a straight line. The angle defined by the both ends of the driving lever  100  can be variously determined according to the positions of the actuating switch  92  and the water-dispensing button  112  to be described later. With such a constitution, one of the ends of the driving lever  100  on the side of the actuating switch  92  is placed at a position relatively higher than the other end of the driving lever on the side of the water-dispensing button  112 . This is to prevent water from moving toward the actuating switch  92  due to the weight of the water. 
   The hinge portion  102  can be constructed, for example, by forming a hinge pin (not shown) on the driving lever  100  and a hinge hole (not shown) into which the hinge pin is inserted at a corresponding portion of the seating recess  85 , or vice versa. 
   The other end of the driving lever  100 , i.e. the end thereof on the side of the water-dispensing button  112  to be described later, is formed with a connection protrusion  104 . The connection protrusion  104  is formed to extend toward the back surface of the housing  81  in a state where the driving lever  100  is installed within the seating recess  85 . The end of the driving lever  100  opposite to the other end thereof with the connection protrusion  104  is in contact with the resilient rib  94 . 
   The other end of the driving lever  100  with the connection protrusion  104  and the opposite end thereof extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of gravity. This is to prevent water, which has been discharged from the dispensing port  84  and is falling due to gravity, from being transferred to the actuating switch  92  through the resilient rib  94  or the like. 
   Next, a water-dispensing button unit  110  is installed at the upper end of the recessed portion  81 ′ of the housing  81 , i.e. at a position adjacent to the penetration portion  82 . The water-dispensing button unit  110  operates the driving lever  100  to turn on the actuating switch  92 . 
   The water-dispensing button unit  110  is provided with the water-dispensing button  112 . The water-dispensing button  112  protrudes downward by a predetermined length from an upper portion of the recessed portion  81 ′ and is installed to move in an up and down direction. The water-dispensing button  112  is pushed upward by a cup grasped by a user to operate the driving lever  100 . 
   Catching ribs  113  are formed to protrude in opposite directions at both side ends of the water-dispensing button  112 . A back surface of the water-dispensing button  112  is provided with a structure that can be firmly connected to the connection protrusion  104  of the driving lever  100 . For example, the back surface of the water-dispensing button is provided with an insertion hole into which the connection protrusion  104  can be inserted. 
   The water-dispensing button  112  is placed on a support frame  114  formed at the upper end of the recessed portion  81 ′. The support frame  114  is constructed to partially surround the water-dispensing button  112 . The support frame  114  is formed with a support protrusion  116  protruding in the vertical moving direction of the water-dispensing button  112 . One end of a return spring  118  is supported by the support protrusion  116 . The other end of the return spring  118  is supported by an upper end of the water-dispensing button  112  so that the water-dispensing button  112  can be moved to the original position when force pressing the water-dispensing button  112  is eliminated. 
   The support frame  114  has guide ribs  120  at both ends thereof. The catching ribs  113  are movably placed between the guide ribs  120  and an upper end of the support frame  114  so that the up and down movement of the water-dispensing button  112  can be guided. Of course, the catching ribs  113  are caught by the guide ribs  120  such that the guide ribs serve to prevent the catching ribs from being further moved downward. 
   Next, the operation of the dispenser for the refrigerator according to the present invention constructed as above will be described in detail. 
   Water supplied from the external water supply source  61  is purified through the filter  60  and then delivered to the ice maker  68  and the water reservoir  66 . The water stored in the water reservoir  66  is discharged from the dispensing port  84  through the main body-side tubing  70  and the door-side tubing  72  as the dispenser  80  is operated. 
   The discharge from the dispensing port  84  due to the operation of the dispenser  80  will be described below. When a user pushes the water-dispensing button  112  with a cup, the water-dispensing button  112  moves upward while overcoming elastic force of the return spring  118  within the support frame  114 . 
   When the water-dispensing button  112  is moved, the driving lever  100  connected to the water-dispensing button  112  through the connection protrusion  104  is pivoted. The driving lever  100  is pivoted counterclockwise on the hinge portion  102  due to the upward movement of the water-dispensing button  112 . The end of the driving lever  100  presses the driving protrusion  96  of the actuating switch  92  by means of the pivoting of the driving lever  100 . When the driving protrusion  96  is pressed, the actuating switch  92  senses that the water-dispensing button  112  has been operated. 
   A sensing signal generated from the actuating switch  92  drives a valve for allowing water to be discharged from the dispensing port  84 . Therefore, the water stored in the water reservoir  66  is discharged from the dispensing port  84  and then dispensed into the cup of the user. 
   Meanwhile, when a desired amount of water is filled into the cup of the user, the user separates the cup from the water-dispensing button  112 . Thus, the water-dispensing button  112  is moved to the original position due to the restoring force of the return spring  118 . That is, the catching ribs  113  are moved downward along between the upper end of the support frame  114  and the guide ribs  120  and then caught by the guide ribs  120 . In such a state, the water-dispensing button  112  cannot be further moved downward. 
   As the water-dispensing button  112  is moved downward, the driving lever  100  connected to the water-dispensing button  112  through the connection protrusion  104  is pivoted clockwise on the hinge portion  102 . With the clockwise pivoting of the driving lever  100 , the driving lever  100  does not press the resilient rib  94  any longer. Therefore, the resilient rib  94  is restored to an original state and the driving protrusion  96  is also returned to the original state, thereby turning off the actuating switch  92 . In such a state, water is not discharged from the dispensing port  84  any longer. 
   Meanwhile, water is hardly transferred to the actuating switch  92  while the water is discharged from the dispensing port  84  in the dispenser  80  as described above. This is because the partition  90  is disposed between the dispensing port  84  and the actuating switch  92 . 
   Further, since the actuating switch  92  is connected to the water-dispensing button  112  through the driving lever  100 , the actuating switch  92  is spaced relatively further apart from the dispensing port  84  and the water-dispensing button  112 . Thus, a portion of the water discharged from the dispensing port  84  is not transferred to the actuating switch  92 . 
   The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes thereto within the scope of the invention. 
   For example, parts provided within the seating recess  85  may be provided on the back surface of the housing  81  and only the water-dispensing button  112  may be exposed to the front of the recessed portion  81 ′ of the housing  81 . 
   According to the dispenser for the refrigerator of the present invention specifically described above, it is expected to obtain the following advantages. 
   Since the actuating switch is operated through the driving lever by the water-dispensing button in the present invention, the distance between the dispensing port from which water is discharged and the actuating switch is relatively increased. Thus, it is possible to prevent water from being transferred to the actuating switch while water discharged from the dispensing port falls due to gravity. 
   Since the partition is disposed between the actuating switch and the dispensing port, a portion of water is not transferred toward the actuating switch even though the portion of water is splashed aside. Thus, malfunction of the actuating switch due to a short circuit can be avoided.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5