Refrigerator

Abstract

 Disclosed is a refrigerator in which a sealing pillar for sealing a gap between doors of a side-by-side type refrigerator and inner faces of doors are hermetically sealed in a multiple manner to prevent cold air from flowing out through the gap between the doors and a gap between the sealing pillar and the doors. The refrigerator includes: a pair of doors hinge-connected to both ends of a main body having one side opened and including a storage space therein, and opening and closing the storage space; a sealing pillar connected to be rotatable up and down at a free end of any one of the pair of doors and being in contact with portions of inner faces of the pair of doors; main air-tight members installed at portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors, air-tightly sealing a gap between portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors and one face of the sealing pillar facing the portions of the inner faces of the doors, and having multiple main air rooms; and sub-air-tight members extending to have a certain length from the main air-tight members, air-tightly sealing a gap between inner side walls of the pair of doors and both side faces of the sealing pillar, and having multiple sub-air rooms.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of refrigeration. Embodiments concern a refrigerator and, more particularly, a refrigerator in which a sealing pillar for sealing a gap between doors of a side-by-side type refrigerator and inner faces of doors are hermetically sealed in a multiple manner to prevent cold air from flowing out through the gap between the doors and a gap between the sealing pillar and the doors.

[0002] In general, a refrigerator is a device for keeping storage items such as food, or the like, in storage freshly by separating them from the outside. The refrigerator includes a door for opening and closing an internal space of the refrigerator to allow a storage item to be taken in or out therethrough.

[0003] A general side-by-side type refrigerator includes a pair of doors hinge-connected at both sides of a main body in order to open and close an internal space of the main body. A rotatable pillar is installed at a free end of one of the pair of doors. Here, the pillar serves as an intermediate wall supporting a portion at the inner side of the pair of doors when the pair of doors are closed.

[0004] The pillar is installed at an inner side of one of the pair of doors and configured to be rotated when the door is opened and closed. Here, when the door is closed, the pillar is unfolded to be parallel to the door to serve as an intermediate wall.

[0005] The related art refrigerator includes an elastic gasket having a magnet which is able to seal a gap between one face of the pillar and portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors and can be attracted to metal installed on the pillar.

[0006] Thus, the gasket serves to seal a gap between an outer side of the door and the internal space of the main body, attaining a cold air blocking effect.

[0007] However, in the side-by-side type refrigerator having the foregoing configuration, a certain space forming a large gap is formed between an inner wall of the pair of doors and both side walls of the pillar. Thus, although cold air is blocked between a portion of the inner face of the door and one face of the pillar by the gasket, since the space between the both side faces of the pillar and the inner side walls of the pair of doors forms a large gap, cold air is leaked through a fine gap between the magnet and one face of the pillar.

[0008] Thus, the related art causes a problem of dew condensation on both side faces of the pillar and the inner side walls of the pair of doors forming a large tap.

[0009] An aspect of the disclosure provides a refrigerator in which a gap between a sealing pillar sealing a gap between doors of a side-by-side type refrigerator and inner faces of the doors are sealed in a multiple manner to thus effectively preventing a leakage of cold air through a gap between the doors and a gap between the sealing pillar and the doors.

[0010] Another aspect of the disclosure provides a refrigerator capable of preventing dew condensation generated on an inner side wall of a door of a side-by-side type refrigerator and on a side wall of a sealing pillar rotatably installed on the door.

[0011] According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a refrigerator including: a pair of doors hinge-connected to both ends of a main body having one side opened and including a storage space therein, and opening and closing the storage space; a sealing pillar connected to be rotatable up and down at a free end of any one of the pair of doors and being in contact with portions of inner faces of the pair of doors; main air-tight members installed at portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors, air-tightly sealing a gap between portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors and one face of the sealing pillar facing the portions of the inner faces of the doors, and having multiple main air rooms; and sub-air-tight members extending to have a certain length from the main air-tight members, air-tightly sealing a gap between inner side walls of the pair of doors and both side faces of the sealing pillar, and having multiple sub-air rooms.

[0012] The main air-tight members may include a coupling protrusion inserted in a coupling recess formed on a portion of the inner face of the pair of doors, a first gasket connected to an end portion of the coupling protrusion and including multiple main air-rooms, and a magnet provided at the gasket and adhered to metal installed on one face of the sealing pillar, wherein each of the main air room includes a first main air-room having a lower end connected to and end portion of the coupling protrusion, having the magnet installed at an upper end thereof, and formed to be convex along one face of the sealing pillar, and a second main air-room bent to surround a side portion of the first main air-room and having a lower end connected to the end portion of the coupling protrusion and an upper end connected to a side portion of the magnet, and the bent portion of the second main air-room is exposed from a side face of the sealing pillar and an inner side wall of each of the doors.

[0013] Each of the sub-air-tight members may include an extending member extending to have a certain length from an outer face of the first gasket at the bent portion of the second main air-room and a second gasket connected to an end portion of the extending member and including the multiple sub-air-rooms.

[0014] The sub-air rooms may be demarcated by a wavy partition inside the second gasket and include first and second sub-air rooms having a different size.

[0015] The second gasket may include a support face formed to be flat to be tightly attached to the inner side wall of the door and a convex face connected to the support face and formed to be convex toward the side of the sealing pillar to configure the multiple sub-air-rooms.

[0016] The second sub-air room may be positioned to be adjacent to the extending member and the space of the second sub-air-room may be greater than that of the first sub-air room.

[0017] A rib may be formed to be protruded to extend with a certain length from the side of the rotation side of the sealing pillar and tightly attached to the convex face of the second gasket.

[0018] A pair of ribs may be formed to be protruded to extend with a certain length from both sides of the sealing pillar and tightly attached to the convex face of the second gasket.

[0019] An end portion of the rib may have a certain curvature.

[0020] A gap may be formed between the opposite side of the rotation side of the sealing pillar and the convex face of the second gasket.

[0021] A plurality of extending members may be provided.

[0022] Spaces between the plurality of extending members may be hermetically sealed.

[0023] In embodiments, since the gap between the sealing pillar that seals a gap between the doors of a side-by-side type refrigerator and the inner faces of the doors are sealed in a multiple manner, leakage of cold air through a gap between the doors and a gap between the sealing pillar and the doors can be effectively prevented.

[0024] Also, dew condensation formed on an inner side wall of the doors and a side wall of the sealing pillar rotatably installed at the door can be prevented.

[0025] In the drawings

FIG 1 is a sectional view showing an opened door of a refrigerator;

FIG 2 is a sectional view showing a closed door of a refrigerator;

FIG 3 is a sectional view showing doors having another example of sealing pillar;

FIG 4 is a sectional view showing a door employing another example of a sub-air-tight member; and

FIG 5 is a sectional view showing a door employing another example of a sub-air-tight member.

[0026] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator includes a main body 100 having a storage space 110 therein. One side of the main body 100 is open.

[0027] The main body 100 includes a pair of doors 200 comprised of a first door 210 and a second door 220 for opening and closing the storage space 110. A side end portion of each of the pair of doors 200 is rotatably hinge-connected to one side end and the other side end of the main body 100. Thus, the pair of doors 200 can be individually opened and closed.

[0028] A sealing pillar 300 is rotatably connected to a free end of the first door 210, one of the pair doors 200. The sealing pillar 300 is formed extendedly to have a certain length along a vertical direction of the free end. Although not shown, a torsion spring (not shown) is installed at a hinge 310 portion at the free end of the first door 210 and the sealing pillar 300, and accordingly, the sealing pillar 300 may be folded to be in standby at an inner portion of the first door 210. Here, an upper end and a lower end of the hinge 310 portion may be rotatably supported by a portion of an upper end portion of the first door 210.

[0029] A support member (not shown) is installed at an upper end of a central portion of an opening exposing the storage space 110 of the main body 100 in order to support the sealing pillar 300 such that the sealing pillar 300 to be unfolded with the first door 210 abreast. Here, a guide protrusion (not shown) is formed on the sealing pillar 300, and a guide recess (not shown) may be formed on the support member in order to allow the guide protrusion to be inserted therein and guided to make the sealing pillar 300 parallel to the first door 210 (i.e., so as to be unfolded as shown in FIG 2).

[0030] Accordingly, when the first door 210 to which the sealing pillar 300 is connected is closed as shown in FIG 2, an upper end portion of the sealing pillar 300 becomes close to the support member, the guide protrusion of the sealing pillar 300 is inserted in the guide recess of the support member and guided, and the sealing pillar 300 is unfolded so as to be parallel to the closed first door 210. In this state, when the second door 220, another door, is closed as shown in FIG 2, a partial face of the inner side of the pair of doors 200 in the closed state may be in contact with one face of the sealing pillar 300.

[0031] A main air-tight member 400 is installed at a portion of the inner face of the pair of doors 200 in order to air-tightly seal a gap between a portion of the inner face of the doors 200 and one face of the sealing pillar 300.

[0032] The main air-tight member 400 may be provided at a portion of the inner face of the pair of doors 200, respectively.

[0033] The main air-tight member 400 includes coupling protrusions 420 insertedly coupled in coupling recesses 211 and 212 formed at a portion of the inner face of the pair of doors 200, a first gasket 410 connected to an end portion of each of the coupling protrusions 420 and including multiple main air rooms 411 and 412, and a magnet 430 provided on the first gasket 410 and adhered to a metal 330 installed on one face of the sealing pillar 300. Here, the first gasket 410 may be made of an elastic material.

[0034] The main air-rooms 411 and 412 include a first main air-room 411 having a lower end connected to and end portion of the coupling protrusion 420, having the magnet 430 installed at an upper end thereof, and formed to be convex along one face of the sealing pillar 300, and a second main air-room 412 bent to surround a side portion of the first main air-room 411 and having a lower end connected to the end portion of the coupling protrusion 420 and an upper end connected to a side portion of the magnet 430. The bent portion of the second main air-room 412 is exposed from a side face of the sealing pillar 300 and an inner side wall of each of the doors 200.

[0035] Here, the first main air-rooms 411 are formed to be convex at both sides along an inner side of the doors 200, so that when the doors 200 are closed, the first main air-rooms 411 distribute an impact generated by the closing of the doors 200 between the inner face of the doors 200 and one face of the sealing pillar 300 to both sides thereof to absorb it.

[0036] The second main air-room 412 formed at a side portion of the first main air-room 411 is bent to substantially air-tightly seal a space between the side portion of the sealing pillar 300 and the inner side wall of the doors 200.

[0037] In addition, the main air-tight member 400 is connected to a sub-air-tight member 500.

[0038] The sub-air tight member 500 extends with a certain length from the main air-tight member 400, and air-tightly seals a gap between the inner side wall of the pair of doors 200 and both side faces of the sealing pillar 300. The sub-air-tight member 500 has multiple sub-air rooms 511 and 512.

[0039] In detail, the sub-air-tight member 500 is made of an elastic material and includes an extending member 520 extending to have a certain length from an outer face of the first gasket 410 at the bent portion of the second main air-room 412 and a second gasket 510 connected to an end portion of the extending member 520 and including the multiple sub-air-rooms 511 and 512.

[0040] Here, the sub-air rooms 511 and 512 are demarcated by a wavy partition 513 inside the second gasket 510 and include a first sub-air room 511 and a second sub-air room 512 having a different size.

[0041] The second gasket 510 includes a support face 510a formed to be flat to be tightly attached to the inner side wall of the door 200 and a convex face 510b connected to the support face 510a and formed to be convex toward the side of the sealing pillar 300 to configure the multiple sub-air-rooms 511 and 512.

[0042] Here, the second sub-air room 512 is positioned to be adjacent to the extending member 520 and the space of the second sub-air-room 412 may be greater than that of the first sub-air room 511.

[0043] With such a configuration, when the pair of doors 200 are closed, the support face 510a of the second gasket 510 is tightly attached to the inner side wall of the door 200 and the convex face 510b connected to the support face 510a becomes convex toward the side of the sealing pillar 300. Here, preferably, the convex face 510b may be substantially tightly attached to the side of the sealing pillar 300.

[0044] Also, preferably, in the second gasket 510, the convex face 510b on which the second sub-air room 512 having a larger space than that of the first sub-air room 511 is tightly attached to the side of the sealing pillar 300. Here, since the size of the space of the second sub-air room 512 is larger than that of the first sub-air room 511, an impact due to the closing of the door between the side of the sealing pillar 300 and the inner side wall of the door 200 is absorbed, and since the side portion of the second sub-air room 512 is protruded toward the space in which the first gasket 410 is positioned, airtightness between the space in which the first gasket 410 is positioned and the inner storage space 110 of the main body 100 can be effectively maintained.

[0045] Also, the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 510 are connected by the extending member 520. Here, since the single extending member 520 is made of an elastic material, the configuration position of the second gasket 510 can be varied within a limitation of the length of the extending member 520 which may elongate.

[0046] Namely, as shown in FIG 2, when the pair of doors are closed, the second gasket 510 is tightly attached between the inner side wall of the door 200 and the side face of the sealing pillar 300, securing a gap to a degree. Conversely, with reference to FIG 1, when the pair of doors 200 are open, the second gasket 510 is tightly attached between the inner side wall of the door 200 and the side face of the sealing pillar 300, and in this state, the second gasket 510 may be stably released when certain elastic force is applied through the extending member 520, rather than being forcibly released.

[0047] Also, as shown in FIG 4, in an embodiment, a plurality of extending members 521 may be provided. Accordingly, the plurality of extending members 521 may connect the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 510 with elasticity of a certain level or higher, to thus prevent the second gasket 510 from wobbling and releasing from the end portions of the extending members 521. Namely, the fixing portion connecting the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 510 is increased, so the fixing force of the fixing portion connecting the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 510 can be increased.

[0048] As shown in FIG 5, in an embodiment, a plurality of extending members 522 are provided, and hermetically sealed space (S) may be formed between the extending members 522.

[0049] The spaces (S) between the plurality of extending members may be hermetically closed. Thus, when the multiple spaces filled with air are formed between the extending members 522, the extending members 522 forming the multiple spaces (S) may air-tightly seal the space between the inner side wall of the door 200 and the side face of the sealing pillar 300 in a multiple manner, and insulate the multiple spaces (S) in a multiple manner against the outside. Accordingly, due condensation due to the difference in temperature with external air on the side face of the sealing pillar 300 can be effectively prevented.

[0050] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG 2, the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 as mentioned above has a certain curvature, so it can be effectively tightly attached correspondingly according to the shape of the side face of the sealing pillar 300 having a certain shape.

[0051] Also, since the partition 513 demarcating the first and second sub-air rooms 511 and 512 of the second gasket 510 is formed to be wavy to connect the convex face 510b and the support face 510a, and since the partition 513 is formed along a direction in which compressive force generated between the inner side wall of the door 200 and the side face of the sealing pillar 300 works, so the shape of the partition 513 can be easily deformed according to the size of the working compressive force to easily absorb the compressive force. Accordingly, although compressive force repeatedly acts on the wavy partition 513, damage to the second gasket 510, such that the second gasket 510 is ripped, or the like, can be effectively prevented.

[0052] Of course, the foregoing sub-air tight member 500 is connected to the main air-tight member 400 installed at a portion of the inner face of each of the doors 200. Preferably, the convex face 510b of the sub-air-tight member 500 installed at the side of the first door 210 to which the sealing pillar 300 is connected is tightly attached to the side face of the sealing pillar 300. As for the sub-air-tight member 400 installed at the side of the second door 220 where the sealing pillar 300 is not installed, a gap may be formed between the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 and the other side of the sealing pillar 300.

[0053] Namely, the foregoing sealing pillar 300 is rotatable at the free end of the first door 210, and in this case, the sealing pillar 300 may rotate about a single fixed rotational shaft (not shown) (by being centered thereon), or may be installed such that the center of the rotation of the sealing pillar 300 is moved from the free end of the first door 210. Accordingly, in consideration of a gap generated between the sealing pillar 300 and the free end of the first door 210, the second gasket 510 of the sub-air-tight member 500 may be disposed to be tightly attached to the side face of the sealing pillar 300 and the inner side wall of the first door 210.

[0054] Meanwhile, with reference to FIG. 2, a rib 320 may be formed to be externally provided with a certain length on one side face of the sealing pillar 300.

[0055] The rib 320 is protruded from one side face of the sealing pillar 300, and an end thereof may be tightly attached to the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 of the sub-air-tight member 500 installed at the inner side of the first door 210 where the sealing pillar 300 is installed. Thus, the rib 320 serves to additionally air-tightly seal a gap between the second gasket 510 and side face of the sealing pillar 300, and accordingly, cold air within the main body can be prevented from flowing out or external air can be prevented from being introduced into the main body through a space, if any, between the first door 210 and the sealing pillar 300, and a problem such as dew condensation formed on the side of the sealing pillar 300 and the inner side wall of the first door 210, or the like, can be solved.

[0056] Also, as shown In FIG 3, a pair of ribs 320 and 321 may be formed to be protruded to extend with a certain length so as to be tightly attached to the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 at both sides of the sealing pillar 300.

[0057] Thus, the respective second gasket 510 air-tightly sealing a gap between the both side faces of the sealing pillar 300 and the inner side wall of the door 200 can additionally block cold air through the pair of ribs 320 and 321.

[0058] Here, the pair of ribs 320 and 321 may be made of the same material as that of the sealing pillar 300. Namely, the pair of ribs 320 and 321 may be configured as a solid without elasticity, and, among the pair of ribs 320 and 321, only the rib 321 at the side of the second door 220 where the sealing pillar 300 is not installed may be made of an elastic material.

[0059] Namely, in the latter case, the second gasket 510 at the side of the second door 220 where the sealing pillar 300 is not installed wobbles along the side face of the sealing pillar 300 when the second door 220 is opened or closed, and at this time, the rib 321 made of an elastic material can solve a problem such as damage due to frictional contact with the second gasket 510.

[0060] Also, preferably, end portions of the ribs 320 and 321 have a certain curvature.

[0061] Also, as shown in FIG 2, a gap may be formed between the opposite side of the rotation side of the sealing pillar 300 and the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 at the side of the second door 220.

[0062] Namely, among the pair of doors 200, the first door 210 is disposed such that the sealing pillar 300 rotates, and the sealing pillar 300 is not installed at the second door 220. Thus, when the second door 220 is opened or closed, the second gasket 510 installed at the inner side of the second door 220 is in frictional contact with the side of the sealing pillar 300 all the time so as to be damaged, so preferably, a certain gap is formed therebetween.

[0063] The outer face of the second gasket 510 slides in contact with the side of the sealing pillar 300, and in this case, since the convex face 510b of the second gasket 510 is formed to be convex, although the second gasket 510 slides in contact with the side face of the sealing pillar 300, frictional force generated between the side face of the sealing pillar 300 and the outer face of the second gasket 510 can be minimized.

[0064] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a pair of doors hinge-connected to both ends of a main body having one side opened and including a storage space therein, and opening and closing the storage space;

a sealing pillar connected to be rotatable up and down at a free end of any one of the pair of doors and being in contact with portions of inner faces of the pair of doors;

main air-tight members installed at portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors, air-tightly sealing a gap between portions of the inner faces of the pair of doors and one face of the sealing pillar facing the portions of the inner faces of the doors, and having multiple main air rooms; and

sub-air-tight members extending to have a certain length from the main air-tight members, air-tightly sealing a gap between inner side walls of the pair of doors and both side faces of the sealing pillar, and having multiple sub-air rooms.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main air-tight members include a coupling protrusion inserted in a coupling recess formed on a portion of the inner face of the pair of doors, a first gasket connected to an end portion of the coupling protrusion and including multiple main air-rooms, and a magnet provided at the gasket and adhered to metal installed on one face of the sealing pillar,
wherein each of the main air room includes a first main air-room having a lower end connected to and end portion of the coupling protrusion, having the magnet installed at an upper end thereof, and formed to be convex along one face of the sealing pillar, and a second main air-room bent to surround a side portion of the first main air-room and having a lower end connected to the end portion of the coupling protrusion and an upper end connected to a side portion of the magnet, and the bent portion of the second main air-room is exposed from a side face of the sealing pillar and an inner side wall of each of the doors.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein each of the sub-air-tight members includes an extending member extending to have a certain length from an outer face of the first gasket at the bent portion of the second main air-room and a second gasket connected to an end portion of the extending member and including the multiple sub-air-rooms, and the sub-air rooms are demarcated by a wavy partition inside the second gasket and include first and second sub-air rooms having a different size.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the second gasket includes a support face formed to be flat to be tightly attached to the inner side wall of the door and a convex face connected to the support face and formed to be convex toward the side of the sealing pillar to configure the multiple sub-air-rooms, and the second sub-air room is positioned to be adjacent to the extending member and the space of the second sub-air-room is greater than that of the first sub-air room.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein a rib is formed to be protruded to extend with a certain length from the side of the rotation side of the sealing pillar and tightly attached to the convex face of the second gasket.

6. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein a pair of ribs are formed to be protruded to extend with a certain length from both sides of the sealing pillar and tightly attached to the convex face of the second gasket.

7. The refrigerator of claim 5 o claim 6, wherein an end portion of the rib has a certain curvature.

8. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein a gap is formed between the opposite side of the rotation side of the sealing pillar and the convex face of the second gasket.

9. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein a plurality of extending members are provided.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein spaces between the plurality of extending members are hermetically sealed.

Drawing