Refrigerator and duct cap assembly therefor

Abstract

A refrigerator and duct cap assembly therefor having a damper that delays closing of a duct cap is disclosed herein. The refrigerator and duct cap assembly therefor include a duct cap, an opening and closing device, a connecting rod, a packing holder, a packing, and a cylinder. The duct cap opens and closes an ice duct of the refrigerator, and the opening and closing device opens and closes the duct cap. The connecting rod is connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device. The packing holder is connected to the connecting rod. The packing is disposed in the packing holder. The cylinder may include at least one slot formed at a predetermined portion of a periphery of the cylinder and the packing makes a reciprocating motion within the cylinder while generating a frictional force.

1 . A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a duct cap configured to open and close an ice duct formed in the refrigerator;   an opening and closing device configured to open and close the duct cap; and   a damper assembly connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device, wherein the damper assembly delays a closing of the duct cap upon initiation of a closing operation.   
   
   
       2 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the damper assembly comprises an air damper. 
   
   
       3 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the damper assembly comprises:
 a connecting rod connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device;   a packing holder connected to the connecting rod;   a packing installed in the packing holder; and   a cylinder, wherein the packing makes a reciprocating motion within the cylinder while generating a frictional force.   
   
   
       4 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cylinder includes at least one slot formed at a predetermined portion in a periphery of the cylinder. 
   
   
       5 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the packing holder comprises:
 an inner holder having connecting members projecting therefrom that connect to the connecting rod; and   an outer holder having a through hole through which the connecting members penetrate, wherein the packing is disposed between the inner holder and the outer holder.   
   
   
       6 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the outer holder includes at least one insertion rib configured to be inserted into the packing. 
   
   
       7 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the packing is made of a rubber material. 
   
   
       8 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the packing is ring shaped. 
   
   
       9 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the packing includes an inclined portion that minimizes friction force generated between the packing and the cylinder when the packing moves toward a first end of the cylinder, and that becomes extended to maximize the friction force generated between the packing and the cylinder when the packing moves toward a second end of the cylinder. 
   
   
       10 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first end is closed and the second end is open. 
   
   
       11 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the packing includes an outer circumference having the inclined portion extending therefrom, an inner circumference having a smaller diameter than the outer circumference, and a front side that connects the inner circumference with the outer circumference, wherein a ring shaped space is formed between the outer circumference and the inner circumference. 
   
   
       12 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cylinder has one end closed and the other end open. 
   
   
       13 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one slot extends in a lengthwise direction a predetermined length from adjacent the open end of the cylinder. 
   
   
       14 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opening and closing device includes a lever, a rotating shaft connected to the lever that rotates the duct cap, and a spring that elastically supports at least one of the lever and the rotating shaft to automatically rotate the duct cap to a position of closing the duct cap. 
   
   
       15 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the lever is rotatably connected to a connecting member of the rotating shaft. 
   
   
       16 . The duct cap assembly of clam  15 , wherein the connecting rod is connected with the rotating shaft and a shaft connecting bar by the connecting member. 
   
   
       17 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the cylinder is configured to be fixed to a supporting member, wherein the supporting member is configured to be installed in the refrigerator. 
   
   
       18 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a funnel configured to support the supporting member, including a duct device configured to communicate with a bottom end of the ice duct, and rotatably supporting the rotating shaft and the lever. 
   
   
       19 . A refrigerator comprising the duct cap assembly of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       20 . A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a funnel configured to communicate with an ice duct of the refrigerator;   a duct cap configured to open and close the ice duct;   an opening and closing device configured to open and close the duct cap; and   a damper assembly supported by the funnel and connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device, wherein the damper assembly delays closing of the duct cap upon initiation of a closing operation.   
   
   
       21 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the damper assembly comprises an air damper. 
   
   
       22 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the opening and closing device comprises:
 a rotating shaft connected to the duct cap configured to rotate the duct cap and which is rotatably supported by the funnel;   a lever connected to the rotating shaft configured to rotate the rotating shaft, and rotatably supported by the funnel; and   a spring configured to elastically support at least one of the lever and the duct cap to automatically rotate the duct cap to a position of closing the ice cap.   
   
   
       23 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the damper assembly comprises:
 a cylinder disposed in the funnel including one end which is closed, and another end which is open, and at least one slot formed extending in a lengthwise direction;   a packing holder movably disposed within the cylinder;   a packing including an inclined portion disposed in the packing holder, the inclined portion having a diameter which decreases as it extends toward the closed end of the cylinder to minimize friction force generated between the packing and the cylinder when the packing moves toward the closed end of the cylinder and to maximize the friction force generated between the packing and the cylinder when the packing moves toward the open end of the cylinder; and   a connecting rod connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device, and connected to the packing holder.   
   
   
       24 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot extends in a lengthwise direction a predetermined length from adjacent the open end of the cylinder. 
   
   
       25 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the packing includes an outer circumference having the inclined portion extended therefrom, an inner circumference having a smaller diameter than the outer circumference, and a front side that connects the inner circumference with the outer circumference, wherein a ring shaped space is formed between the outer circumference and the inner circumference. 
   
   
       26 . A refrigerator comprising the duct cap assembly of  claim 20 . 
   
   
       27 . A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a duct cap configured to open and close an ice duct of the refrigerator;   an opening and closing device configured to open and close the duct cap; and   a damper assembly, including a plurality of damping regions each providing a different damping force, connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device.   
   
   
       28 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the damper assembly comprises an air damper. 
   
   
       29 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the air damper assembly comprises:
 a connecting rod connected to at least one of duct cap and the opening and closing device;   a packing holder connected to the connecting rod;   a packing disposed in the packing holder; and   a cylinder having one end closed and the other end open, and including a damping force controller formed at a predetermined portion of a periphery of the cylinder, wherein the packing is disposed in the cylinder and makes a reciprocating motion while generating a frictional force between the packing and the cylinder.   
   
   
       30 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the packing includes an inclined portion that becomes extended by being rubbed against an inside surface of the cylinder when the packing moves toward the open end of the cylinder. 
   
   
       31 . The duct cap assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the damping force controller comprise at least one slot formed at a predetermined portion of a periphery of the cylinder. 
   
   
       32 . A refrigerator comprising the duct cap assembly of  claim 27 .