Automatic door opening and closing apparatus and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

An automatic door opening and closing apparatus and a refrigerator having the same. The refrigerator includes a cabinet and a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet. The opening and closing apparatus comprises a first rotating shaft to rotatably connect the refrigerator door to the cabinet, a damper unit to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed, and a second rotating shaft to rotatably connect the damper unit to the door to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed by the damper unit depending on an opening degree of the door. The damper unit includes a damping member and a link member. The link member has a first end coupled to the damping member, and a second end coupled to the second rotating shaft. The damper unit and other parts of the automatic door opening and closing apparatus show simplified and strong structures, thereby achieving effective and smooth operation of the refrigerator door with a low effort. By allowing the refrigerator door to be automatically opened or closed when the opening angle of the refrigerator is in a predetermined range, the automatic door opening and closing apparatus of the present invention can provide satisfactory use of products.

1 . An automatic door opening and closing apparatus usable with a refrigerator including a cabinet and a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet, the opening and closing apparatus comprising: 
 a first rotating shaft to rotatably connect the refrigerator door to the cabinet;    a damper unit to allow the refrigerator door to be automatically opened or closed; and    a second rotating shaft to rotatably connect the damper unit to the refrigerator door to allow the refrigerator door to be automatically opened or closed by the damper unit according to an opening degree of the door,    wherein: the damper unit includes a damping member and a link member; and    the link member has a first end coupled to the damping member, and a second end coupled to the second rotating shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the damper unit further includes a casing, having at least three sides, to protect the damper unit from external force.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the link member has a bent portion, extending from the second end thereof by a length corresponding to a distance between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, to thereby rotate the door by an opening angle larger than 90°.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first supporting unit coupled to a surface of the casing, the first rotating shaft being provided at one side of the first supporting unit.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first supporting unit includes a bent plate having a first surface coupled to an upper surface of the casing and a second surface coupled to a lateral surface of the casing to thereby prevent the droop thereof due to the weight of the door.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a second supporting unit provided at one side thereof with the second rotating shaft to be rotatably coupled to the second end of the link member, and at the other side thereof with a coupling hole to allow the first rotating shaft to be rotatably inserted therein.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 4  or  6 , wherein: the first supporting unit has a latch pin located close to the first rotating shaft to be caught by one side of the second supporting unit to thereby adjust the opening angle of the door, and first and second pin holes for the selective fastening of the latch pin; and 
 the latch pin is inserted in the first pin hole to rotate the door by an opening angle larger than 90°, or is inserted in the second pin hole to rotate the door by approximately 90°.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the second supporting unit has a stopper in the vicinity of the coupling hole thereof to catch the latch pin inserted in the first or second pin hole to thereby adjust the opening angle of the door.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a support plate is provided at a lower surface of the casing and has coupling holes for the coupling of an adjustor bolt to adjust the installation height of the cabinet.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the damping member includes: 
 a cylinder to contain oil and gas;    a cap to close a first end of the cylinder;    a piston to compress or decompress the oil and gas;    a first seal provided at a second end of the cylinder to prevent oil and gas leakage while allowing penetration of the piston; and    a second seal provided inside the cylinder to isolate the oil and gas from each other.    
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet, and an automatic door opening and closing apparatus including a first rotating shaft to rotatably and hingedly connect the door to the cabinet, and a damping member to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed, 
 wherein the automatic door opening and closing apparatus further includes:    a second rotating shaft to rotatably connect the damping member to the door;    a damper unit including a link member having a first end coupled to the damping member and a second end coupled to the second rotating shaft; and    a supporting unit provided at one side thereof with the second rotating shaft to be rotatably coupled to the second end of the link member, and at the other side thereof with a coupling hole to allow the first rotating shaft to be rotatably inserted therein.    
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the link member has a bent portion, extending from the second end thereof by a length corresponding to a distance between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, to thereby rotate the door by an opening angle larger than 90°.  
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein: the damper unit further includes a casing, having at least three sides, to protect the damper unit from external force; and 
 a door hinge is coupled to a surface of the casing, the first rotating shaft being provided at one side of the door hinge.    
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the door hinge takes the form of a bent plate having a first surface coupled to an upper surface of the casing and a second surface coupled to a lateral surface of the casing to thereby prevent the droop thereof due to the weight of the refrigerator door.  
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the door hinge has two pin holes, and a latch pin to be selectively inserted in one of the two pin holes to thereby rotate the refrigerator door at different opening angles.  
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the casing includes a support plate provided at an open lower surface thereof to reinforce a strength of the casing, the support plate having coupling holes for the coupling of an adjustor bolt to adjust the installation height of the refrigerator cabinet.  
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the damping member includes: 
 a cylinder to contain oil and gas;    a cap to close a first end of the cylinder;    a piston to compress or decompress the oil and gas;    a first seal provided at a second end of the cylinder to prevent oil and gas leakage while allowing penetration of the piston; and    a second seal provided inside the cylinder to isolate the oil and gas from each other.    
     
     
         18 . An automatic door opening and closing apparatus usable with a refrigerator including a cabinet and a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet, the opening and closing apparatus comprising a first rotating shaft to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet, and a damper unit to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed, 
 wherein: the automatic door opening and closing apparatus further comprises a second rotating shaft to rotatably connect the damper unit to the door;    the damper unit includes a damping member having a piston, and a link member to connect the piston to the second rotating shaft; and    the link member has a bent portion, extending from a first end thereof by a length corresponding to a distance between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, to thereby rotate the door to a predetermined opening angle.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a first supporting unit coupled to the cabinet, the first rotating shaft being provided at one side of the first supporting unit; and    a second supporting unit coupled to the refrigerator door, the second supporting unit being provided at one side thereof with the second rotating shaft to be rotatably coupled to the first end of the link member, and at the other side thereof with a coupling hole to allow the first rotating shaft to be rotatably inserted therein.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein: the first supporting unit has a latch pin located close to the first rotating shaft to be caught by one side of the second supporting unit to thereby adjust the opening angle of the door, and first and second pin holes for the selective fastening of the latch pin; and 
 the latch pin is inserted in the first pin hole to rotate the door by a first angle, or is inserted in the second pin hole to rotate the door by a second angle different from the first angle.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the damping member includes: 
 a cylinder to contain oil and gas;    a cap to close a first end of the cylinder;    a piston to compress or decompress the oil and gas;    a first seal provided at a second end of the cylinder to prevent oil and gas leakage while allowing penetration of the piston; and    a second seal provided inside the cylinder to isolate the oil and gas from each other.    
     
     
         22 . A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet, a first rotating shaft to rotatably and hingedly connect the door to the cabinet, and a damper unit to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed, 
 wherein: the refrigerator further comprises a second rotating shaft to rotatably connect the damper unit to the door;    the damper unit includes a damping member, and a link member to connect the damping member to the second rotating shaft;    when the door is opened by approximately 90° to align the second rotating shaft, first rotating shaft, and an end of the link member connected to the damping member on a straight line, the door temporarily stops to rotate;    when the door is opened by an angle larger than 90° to form an obtuse angle between imaginary lines diverging from the first rotating shaft to both the second rotating shaft and the end of the link member connected to the damping member, the door is forced to be opened; and    when the door is opened by an angle smaller than 90°, to form an angle larger than 180° between the second rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft and the end of the link member connected to the damping member, the door is forced to be closed.    
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , wherein: the damping member includes a cylinder, damping materials including oil and gas inside the cylinder, and a piston having a first end to compress or decompress the damping materials and a second end connected to the link member; 
 when the door is opened, the first end of the piston advances into the cylinder of the damping member to compress the damping materials;    when the door is opened by approximately 90° and is temporarily stopped, the piston compresses the damping materials to the maximum extent; and    when the door is opened by an angle smaller or larger than 90°, the piston is retreated from the cylinder by a restoration force of the damping materials to thereby allow the door to be automatically and smoothly closed or opened.    
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , wherein the link member is bent from a point connected to the second rotating shaft by a distance, corresponding to a distance between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, to thereby rotate the door by an angle larger than 90°, a bent portion of the link member being caught by the first rotating shaft when the door is opened by a maximum angle.  
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , wherein: the damper unit further includes a casing having at least three sides; 
 a first supporting unit is coupled to a surface of the casing, the first rotating shaft being provided at the first supporting unit; and    a second supporting unit is coupled to the first supporting unit, the second supporting unit having the second rotating shaft, and a coupling hole to allow the first rotating shaft to be rotatably inserted therein.    
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator according to  claim 25 , wherein a support plate is provided at a lower surface of the casing and has coupling holes for the coupling of an adjustor bolt to adjust the installation height of the cabinet.  
     
     
         27 . An automatic door opening and closing apparatus usable with a refrigerator including a cabinet and a refrigerator door hinged to an open side of the cabinet, the opening and closing apparatus comprising a first rotating shaft to rotatably and hingedly connect the door to the cabinet, and a damper unit to allow the door to be automatically opened or closed, wherein: 
 the automatic door opening and closing apparatus further comprises a second rotating shaft affixed to the door and rotatably coupled to the damper unit;    the damper unit is installed at an upper and/or lower portion of the cabinet in perpendicular to the door, the damper unit having a damping member, a link member, and a piston;    the piston has a first end coupled to the damping member and a second end coupled to the link member; and    the link member has a first end coupled to the second end of the piston and a second end coupled to the second rotating shaft.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the link member has a bent portion, extending from the second end thereof by a length corresponding to a distance between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, to thereby rotate the door by an angle larger than 90°, the bent portion being caught by the first rotating shaft when the door is opened by a predetermined angle.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein: the damper unit further has a casing, having at least three sides, to protect the damper unit from external force; 
 the damping member is affixed to the casing; and    the piston is connected to the damping member at an opposite side of the first rotating shaft.    
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the damping member is a gas spring containing oil and gas layers therein.