US20070289669A1

US20070289669A1 - Dispenser and refrigerator having the same

Info

Publication number: US20070289669A1
Application number: US11/797,490
Authority: US
Inventors: Jae An; Jung Kim; Jong Kim
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-05-26
Filing date: 2007-05-03
Publication date: 2007-12-20
Also published as: CN101078592A; KR20070113870A

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided in which, when a structure that secures space to place a container is provided in a dispenser, an object can be dispensed from the dispenser regardless of the position of the structure. The dispenser includes a dispensing port in which an object is dispensed, a switch installed in the dispensing port to dispense the object, a support pivotally installed in the dispensing port and unfoldable from a folded state to place various vessels thereon, and an access portion of the support providing access to the switch to activate the switch in the folded state of the support. The access portion may be a cut-off portion such that the switch is inserted into the support to be exposed or an auxiliary switch to transmit force to the switch when the object is dispensed to indirectly activate the switch. Moreover, the support may directly access the switch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-47712, filed on May 26, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a dispenser to allow a user to take water or ice out of the refrigerator without opening a door.
2. Description of the Related Art
A refrigerator is an apparatus to supply chilled air generated by a refrigerating cycle to a compartment to maintain the freshness of various food for a long time. Generally, a refrigerator includes a main body having a compartment to accommodate food and a door pivotally attached to the main body to open and close the compartment. Recently, refrigerators have included a dispenser integrated with the door to allow a user to conveniently obtain water or ice from the refrigerator without opening the door and to prevent the chilled air in the compartment from being lost due to frequent opening and closing of the door.
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventional refrigerator having a dispenser. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the dispenser 10 of the conventional refrigerator includes a dispensing port 11 sunk into a door 1 such that a container C to accommodate an object to be dispensed is placed in and removed from the dispensing port 11 for the dispensing of water or ice, and an actuating lever 12 installed in the dispensing port 11. In the conventional refrigerator, since the dispensing port 11 of the dispenser is deep enough to allow the container. C to be placed therein, the rear side of the door 1, such as portion A in FIG. 1, considerably protrudes toward a compartment 2, resulting in reduced accommodating space in the compartment 2 adjacent to the dispenser 10. In consideration of the above-mentioned problem, if the depth of the dispensing port 11 is reduced, a space in which the container C is placed may not be guaranteed to fit the container C, thus inconveniencing a user.
On the other hand, Korean Patent Publication No. 2005-26740 discloses a refrigerator including a dispenser door that opens and closes a dispenser case. In the refrigerator, when the dispenser door is opened, a container to accommodate water is placed on a surface of the dispenser door facing a dispenser. By using the dispenser door as disclosed in Korean Pat. Pub. No. 2005-26740, although the dispenser case does not secure space sufficient enough to place the container within the case, since the container can be placed on the surface of the opened dispenser door, the above-mentioned problem can be somewhat solved. However, in order to receive an object from the dispenser, since the dispenser door must be opened, convenience to the user deteriorates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a space in which a container is placed when using a dispenser is secured and a rear side of a door of the refrigerator is protruded into a compartment to a minimal degree.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a refrigerator in which, when a structure to secure a space in which a container is placed is provided in a dispenser, an object can be dispensed from the dispenser without a limit of a position of the structure.
Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a refrigerator including a dispenser allowing an object to be dispensed without opening a door by a user, including a dispensing port providing an outlet through which the object is dispensed, an actuating switch installed in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switch to dispense the object; a support pivotally installed in the dispensing port and movable from folded state of being folded into the dispensing port to an unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port, so as to place various vessels thereon, and an access portion of the support providing access to the actuating switch to activate the actuating switch by the user in the folded state of the support, even when the support is folded into the dispensing port.
The access portion of the support is a cut-off portion such that the actuating switch is inserted into the cut-off portion of the support to be exposed when the support is in the folded state.
The access portion of the support is an auxiliary switch to transmit a force applied by the user to the actuating switch when the object is dispensed to indirectly activate the actuating switch.
The auxiliary switch includes an actuating member moved toward the actuating switch due to an external force applied when the object is dispensed to activate the actuating switch, and an elastic member elastically returning the actuating member to an original position. An end of the actuating member protrudes further forward than a front side of the support.
The support is able to be pivoted toward and actuate the actuating switch in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.
The dispenser further includes a return device provided at a rear side of the support to return the support to an original position. The return device includes a supporting member contacting the rear side of the support and an elastic member elastically biasing the supporting member to the support.
A front side of the support is curved to naturally contact an outer surface of a circular vessel when the object is being dispensed.
The dispenser further includes a water tray installed lower than the support to collect remnant generated when the object is being dispensed, the water tray protruding further forward than a front side of the support when the support is in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.
A rear side of the support includes a collecting recess to collect remaining water dropped down on the rear side of the support in the unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port and when the object is dispensed.
The refrigerator further includes an insulator provided in the support to prevent chilled air from being lost through the dispensing port.
The refrigerator may include a main body having an internal compartment and a chilled air generating portion disposed within the main body to generate chilled air held within the compartment.
The support further includes a locking groove provided at a rear lower side of the support to maintain the support in an unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port.
The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator to allow an object to be is dispensed without opening a door by a user, the dispenser including a dispensing port providing access for a vessel to accommodate an object when the object is dispensed, an actuating switch installed in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switch to dispense the object, a support pivotable in an upward direction and a downward direction, the support pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispensing port to open and close the dispensing port; and an access portion of the support providing access to the actuating switch by the user when the support is in a state in which the support is pivoted in an upward direction, thus allowing the user access to the actuating switch to activate the actuating switch when the support closes the dispensing port.
The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator, including a dispensing outlet, an actuating switch capable of being actuated to dispense an object through the dispensing outlet, a pivotable support capable of supporting a vessel for receipt of the object through the dispensing outlet pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispenser, and an actuating switch access portion of the pivotable support providing access to the actuating switch. When the pivotable support is in a substantially vertical position, the actuating switch access portion provides access by the vessel to the actuating switch.
Further, the actuating switch access portion of the pivotable support may be a cut-away portion of the support. The actuating switch access portion of the support may be an auxiliary switch in communication with the actuating switch. The actuating switch access portion of the support may be a cut-away portion of a rear side of the support, the cut-away portion of the rear side of the support being in communication with the actuating switch when the support is in the substantially vertical position.
The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator, including a dispensing port, an actuating switch situated within the dispensing port and capable of being actuated to dispense an object, and a pivotable support capable of supporting a vessel for receipt of the object pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispenser, the pivotable support being pivotable from a substantially vertical position within the dispensing port to a substantially horizontal position, the pivotable support having a curved front surface curved to contact an outer surface of a circular vessel.
The dispenser may include a collecting recess disposed within a rear surface of the support to collect the object when the object is dispensed.
Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventional refrigerator in which a dispenser is installed;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of the refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view illustrating a configuration of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the dispenser extracted from FIG. 2 in a state where a support is pivoted forward;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a configuration of the dispenser of the refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a configuration of the dispenser of the refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a side sectional view illustrating a configuration of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a dispenser extracted from FIG. 2 in which a support is pivoted forward.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 20 having a compartment 21 to keep food in custody and at least one door 30 pivotally attached to the main body 20, which opens and closes to provide access to the compartment 21. The main body 20 includes an outer shell 22 to form an external surface of the main body 20 and an inner shell 23 spaced apart from the outer shell 22 to form the compartment therein. Between the outer shell 22 and the inner shell 23, a refrigerator insulator 24 is foamed to prevent chilled air from being lost to the outside of the refrigerator.
The compartment 21 is partitioned into a right side and a left side by an intermediate partition 25, such that the right side forms a refrigerator compartment 21 a to accommodate and refrigerate food and the left side forms a freezer compartment 21 b to accommodate and freeze food. At a rear side of the compartment 21 is a chilled air generating room 26, from which chilled air to be supplied to the compartment 21 is provided. In the chilled air generating room 26, an evaporator 27 to generate the chilled air by heat-exchange with ambient air is installed, and a circulation fan 28 to supply the chilled air to the compartment 21 is installed next to the evaporator 27.
In a front side of the door 30, a dispenser 100 is installed to dispense an object, such as water or ice, without a user having to open the door 30. Although not depicted in the drawings, a water supply pipe to guide water supplied from a water source to the dispenser 100 is installed in the door 30. In the freezer compartment 21 b, an ice feeder to feed ice to the dispenser 100 is installed. The ice feeder includes an ice-making unit 41 to make ice, an ice cube tray 42 disposed lower than the ice-making unit 41 to accommodate ice cubes made in the ice-making unit 41, a delivery unit 43 to deliver ice cubes accommodated in the ice cube tray 42, and a crushing unit 44 to crush ice cubes delivered by the delivery unit 43 into ice pieces.
As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser 100 includes a dispensing port 110 having an outlet 111 through which an object is discharged, an actuating switch 120 installed to the dispensing port 110 for providing the discharge of the object, a support 130 pivotally installed in the dispensing port 110 able to be folded inward in the dispensing port 110 and to be unfolded down such that various vessels may be placed thereon, and a water tray 160 installed at a lower side of the support to collect remnant generated when the object is dispensed. When the object is dispensed, a container C to accommodate the object is placed in the dispensing port 110.
The support 130 is installed to be pivoted about a hinge shaft 131 installed at a lower end of the dispensing port 110 and to be pivoted forward from the door 30 from a state of being folded into the dispensing port 110 such that a rear side 132 of the support 130 becomes approximately horizontal, thereby allowing various cups or vessels to be placed on the rear side 132 of the support 130.
As such, since the support 130 is provided, the dispensing port 110 is configured to accommodate the folded support 130 and to additionally have a space sufficient for access from the outlet 111. Thus, since a rear side of the door 30 does not protrude toward the compartment 21 in order to form a space where a vessel may be placed, it is possible to prevent the decrease of an accommodating space in the compartment 21. Moreover, since, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a door guard 32 to accommodate articles such as a milk bottle, a water bottle, or the like can be installed in a rear side 31 of the door at a rear side of the dispenser 100, the interior of the compartment 21 can be effectively used.
Particularly, in the present invention, the support 130 includes an access portion of the support or an access device 140 to allow a user to directly or indirectly approach the actuating switch 120 to activate the actuating switch 120, even when the support 130 is folded into the dispensing port 110. The access device 140 allows the user to activate the actuating switch 120 when the support 130 is not withdrawn from the dispensing port 110 so that the dispenser 100 can be conveniently used without having to pivot the support 130 when dispensing the object.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the access device 140, that is, a cut-off portion 141 formed in the support 130. The cut-off portion 141 is formed at a corresponding position and with a shape corresponding to the actuating switch 120, such that the actuating switch 120 is inserted into the cut-off portion 141 and is exposed when the support 130 is folded into the dispensing port 110. The cut-off portion 141 is a space defined within a portion of the support 130 in order to provide access to the actuating switch 120 when the support 130 is in a folded state. Here, the actuating switch has a sufficient height to pass through the cut-off portion 141 in order to be exposed. Then, the user may pivot the support 130 forward to access the actuating switch 120 to actuate the actuating switch 120 without opening the dispensing port 110.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a front side 133 of the support 130 may have a curved surface 133 a such that an outer surface of a circular vessel naturally contacts the front side 133, and the water tray 160 disposed lower than the support 130 is preferably protruded more forward than the front side 133 of the support 130 when the support 130 is folded into the dispensing port 110. As such, that the water tray 160 that is protruded more forward than the front side 133 of the support 130 is able to effectively collect remnants when the object is dispensed in front of the support 130 folded into the dispensing port 110. Further, the protruding water tray 160 supports the support 130 when the support 130, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is pivoted and in a horizontal state.
Moreover, a dispenser insulator 134 to prevent the chilled air from being lost through the dispensing port 110 of the dispenser 100 is preferably provided within the support 130. Thus, it is possible to employ a thin, inner insulator 33 provided at the rear side of the dispenser 100 in the door 30 without deteriorating the insulation effect so that the door 30 can be made thinner and the accommodating space of the compartment 21 can be more effectively used.
Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 4, it is preferred that at least one collecting recess 132 a is formed in the rear side 132 of the support 130. When the support 130 is pivoted to the horizontal state to provide access for the object to be dispensed, water dropped down on the rear side 132 of the support 130 is gathered in the collecting recess 132 a to prevent the water on the rear side 132 of the support 130 from dropping down on an indoor floor. In this case, the water collected in the collecting recess 132 a flows down and is collected into the water tray 160 when the support 130 is folded into the dispensing port 110 again.
A locking groove 101 is provided at a rear lower side of the support 130 to maintain the support 130 in the horizontal state by locking an end of the support 130 when the support 130 is pivoted to place a vessel thereon.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of a dispenser of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, only features peculiar to this embodiment will be described and same reference numerals are assigned to components similar to those in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the support 130 has an auxiliary switch 142 as an access device 140. The auxiliary switch 142 transmits a force applied by a user when dispensing the object to the actuating switch 120 such that the actuating switch 120 can be indirectly actuated. The auxiliary switch 142 includes an actuating member 142 a which moves toward the actuating switch 120 due to an external force applied when dispensing the object to activate the actuating switch 120, and an elastic member 142 b to elastically return the actuating member 142 a to its original position.
In this case, an end of the actuating member 142 a protrudes further forward than the front side 133 of the support 130 and the opposite end thereof contacts the actuating switch 120. By doing so, since pressing the actuating member 142 a can activate the actuating switch 120, the object can be dispensed without withdrawing the support 130 from the dispensing port 110.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of a dispenser of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the support 130 serves as the access device 140, and the support 130 is installed to pivot toward the actuating switch 120 when at a state of being folded into the dispensing port 110. Thus, since the user presses the support 130 to activate the actuating switch 120, the object can be dispensed without withdrawing the support 130 from the dispensing port 110. In this case, a return device 150 is provided at a rear side of the support 130, in order to return the support 130 to the original position of the support 130, prior to being depressed, when external force on the support 130 is removed. The return device 150 is provided at a rear side 132 of the support 130. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the return device 150 may include a supporting member 151 to contact the rear side 132 of the support 130 and an elastic member 152 to elastically bias the supporting member 151 to the support 130.
The access device or access portion 140 of the support 130 in FIG. 6 includes a cut-away portion on the rear side 132 of the support. The cut-away portion is in communication with the actuating switch 120 when the support 130 is in a substantially vertical position.
As described above, the present invention includes an access device in which a user can access the actuating switch to activate the actuating switch when the support on which a vessel is placed is folded into the dispensing port of the dispenser, so that an object can be conveniently dispensed when the support is unfolded or folded.
Moreover, according to the present invention, since the support on which a vessel is placed is provided, it minimizes the space that a rear side of a refrigerator door protrudes inward into the compartment so as to allow for the space required to place a vessel. Therefore, the accommodating space in the compartment can be more effectively used.
Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A refrigerator including a door, comprising:

a dispenser allowing an object to be dispensed, comprising:

a dispensing port providing an outlet through which the object is dispensed;

an actuating switch installed in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switch to dispense the object;

a support pivotally installed in the dispensing port and movable from a folded state of being folded into the dispensing port to an unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port; and

an access portion of the support providing access to the actuating switch to activate the actuating switch by the user in the folded state of the support.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the access portion of the support is a cut-off portion such that the actuating switch is inserted into the cut-off portion of the support to be exposed when the support is in the folded state.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the access portion of the support is an auxiliary switch to transmit a force applied by the user to the actuating switch when the object is dispensed to indirectly activate the actuating switch.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary switch comprises:

an actuating member moved toward the actuating switch due to an external force applied when the object is dispensed to activate the actuating switch; and

an elastic member elastically returning the actuating member to an original position.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein an end of the actuating member protrudes further forward than a front side of the support.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the support is able to be pivoted toward and actuate the actuating switch in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the dispenser further comprises a return device provided at a rear side of the support to return the support to an original position.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the return device includes a supporting member contacting the rear side of the support and an elastic member elastically biasing the supporting member to the support.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a front side of the support is curved to naturally contact an outer surface of a circular vessel when the object is being dispensed.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser further comprises a water tray installed lower than the support to collect remnant generated when the object is being dispensed, the water tray protruding further forward than a front side of the support when the support is in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein a rear side of the support comprises a collecting recess to collect remaining water dropped down on the rear side of the support in the unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port when the object is dispensed.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising an insulator provided in the support to prevent chilled air from being lost through the dispensing port.

13. A dispenser installed to a refrigerator to allow an object to be dispensed, the dispenser comprising:

a dispensing port providing access for a vessel to accommodate an object when the object is dispensed;

a support pivotable in an upward direction and a downward direction, the support pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispensing port; and

an access portion of the support providing access to the actuating switch by the user when the support is in a state in which the support is pivoted in an upward direction.

14. A dispenser installed to a refrigerator, comprising:

a dispensing port;

an actuating switch situated within the dispensing port and capable of being actuated to dispense an object; and

a pivotable support capable of supporting a vessel for receipt of the object pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispenser, the pivotable support being pivotable from a substantially vertical position within the dispensing port to a substantially horizontal position, the pivotable support having a curved front surface curved to contact an outer surface of a circular vessel.

15. The dispenser according to claim 14, further comprising a collecting recess disposed within a rear surface of the support to collect the object when the object is dispensed.