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US 10,330,374 B2Granted
Refrigerator, and control method thereof
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsKyoung Ki Park, Hyun Hee Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator includes an outlet opening/closing system for a refrigerator dispenser including a driver, a cam configured to rotate with respect to a first axis by the driver, and an opening/closing module configured to pivot with respect to a second axis according to the rotation of the cam to open the outlet, wherein the first axis crosses the second axis at a predetermined angle.
Claims23
A refrigerator comprising:
- a storage chamber configured to be cooled by a cooling apparatus;
- a door coupled to the storage chamber and configured to open and close, and thereby open and close the storage chamber;
- and
- a dispenser configured to discharge at least one of water and ice through an outlet in the door, the dispenser including:
- a driver having a shaft configured to rotate on a first axis;
- a cam configured to rotate on the first axis by a rotational force from the driver;
- and
- an outlet cover configured to pivot on a second axis, different from the first axis, based on the rotation of the cam, and thereby open and close the outlet based on a rotational position of the cam.
5 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a storage chamber configured to be cooled by a cooling apparatus;
- a door coupled to the storage chamber and configured to open and close, and thereby open and close the storage chamber;
- and
- a dispenser configured to discharge at least one of water and ice through an outlet in the door, the dispenser including:
- a driver configured to provide a rotational force around a first axis;
- a cam configured to rotate around the first axis by the rotational force from the driver;
- and
- an outlet cover configured to pivot around a second axis, different from the first axis, based on the rotation of the cam, and thereby open and close the outlet based on a rotational position of the cam,
- wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the second axis.
6 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a storage chamber configured to be cooled by a cooling apparatus;
- a door coupled to the storage chamber and configured to open and close, and thereby open and close the storage chamber;
- and
- a dispenser configured to discharge at least one of water and ice through an outlet in the door, the dispenser including:
- a driver configured to provide a rotational force around a first axis;
- a cam configured to rotate around the first axis by the rotational force from the driver;
- and
- an outlet cover configured to pivot around a second axis, different from the first axis, based on the rotation of the cam, and thereby open and close the outlet based on a rotational position of the cam,
- wherein the cam includes a circumferential surface, provided on a radial surface of the cam relative to the first axis, and a cam surface, provided on a surface perpendicular to the circumferential surface,
- wherein the circumferential surface includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion,
- wherein the first protrusion is spaced apart from the second protrusion,
- wherein the dispenser further includes a first switch module and a second switch module, and
- wherein the first protrusion is configured to operate the first switch module and the second switch module based on the rotational position of the cam.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.