# US 10,871,321 B2 · Refrigerator

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- Number: US 10,871,321 B2
- Document ID: US10871321B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/590,746
- Filed: 2019-10-02
- Published: 2020-01-30
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-14
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Hyunbum Kim; Younseok Lee; Heejun Lee; Seongwon Gwon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871321B2

## CPC

- F25D 23/028: {Details}
- E06B 7/18: by means of movable edgings, e.g. draught sealings additionally used for bolting {, e.g. by spring force or with operating lever}
- F16H 1/20: involving more than two intermeshing members
- F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042})
- F25D 25/02: by shelves
- F25D 29/003: {for movable devices}
- F16H 1/16: comprising worm and worm-wheel
- F25D 2323/021: French doors
- F25D 2700/02: Sensors detecting door opening
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a storage chamber; an inner case forming the exterior of the storage chamber; a first door pivotally provided to the cabinet and opening and closing one side of the storage chamber; a second door having a pillar rotated so as to come into contact with the first door, pivotally provided to the cabinet, and opening and closing the other side of the storage chamber; and a driving member provided at a lower end of the second door so as to move together with the second door, and operating the pillar so as to fold or unfold the pillar, wherein the pillar has a first catching protrusion and a second catching protrusion, which are selectively caught by the driving member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
an inner case that is located in the cabinet and that defines a storage chamber;
a first door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a first side of the storage chamber;
a second door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a second side of the storage chamber, the second door comprising a pillar that is configured to rotate relative to the second door and that is configured to contact the first door based on the first and second doors being closed;
a first door switch configured to sense whether the first door opens or closes the first side of the storage chamber;
a second door switch configured to sense whether the second door opens or closes the second side of the storage chamber; and
a driving member configured to rotate the pillar in a direction toward the second door or in a direction away from the second door,
wherein the driving member is configured to rotate the pillar based on sensing results of the first door switch and the second door switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense rotation of the pillar.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the driving member is configured to, based on the sensor sensing that the pillar has rotated outside of a preset state, drive the pillar toward the preset state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the driving member is located at the second door and configured to move together with the second door.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the pillar comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion that are configured to selectively couple to the driving member, and
wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged at the pillar and positioned at different heights with respect to a lower wall of the inner case.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the driving member comprises:
a first link configured to selectively contact the first protrusion; and
a second link configured to selectively contact the second protrusion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the driving member comprises:
a motor configured to rotate in a forward direction and a reverse direction; and
a transmission unit configured to transmit rotation of the motor to the first link and the second link.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the transmission unit comprises:
a first gear configured to receive rotation force from the motor;
a second gear configured to engage with the first gear; and
a third gear configured to rotate together with the second gear in a direction that is equal to a rotation direction of the second gear.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the second gear comprises a first extension configured to selectively contact the first link, and
wherein the third gear comprises a second extension configured to selectively contact the second link.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the driving member comprises a case that defines an exterior of the driving member, the case comprising:
a first projection and a second projection;
a first elastic member that connects the first projection to the first link; and
a second elastic member that connects the second projection to the second link.

### Claim 11

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
an inner case that is located in the cabinet and that defines a storage chamber;
a first door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a first side of the storage chamber;
a second door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a second side of the storage chamber, the second door comprising a pillar that is configured to rotate relative to the second door and that is configured to contact the first door based on the first and second doors being closed;
a first door switch configured to sense whether the first door opens or closes the first side of the storage chamber;
a second door switch configured to sense whether the second door opens or closes the second side of the storage chamber; and
a driving member configured to rotate the pillar to a folded state in a direction toward the second door or to an unfolded state in a direction away from the second door,
wherein the driving member is configured to rotate the pillar from the unfolded state to the folded state based on at least one of (i) the first door switch sensing the first door being oriented in a position that opens the first side or (ii) the second door switch sensing the second door being oriented in a position that opens the second side.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the driving member is located at the second door and configured to move together with the second door.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the pillar comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion that are configured to selectively couple to the driving member, and
wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged at the pillar and positioned at different heights with respect to a lower wall of the inner case.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The refrigerator of claim 13:
wherein the driving member comprises:
a first link configured to selectively contact the first protrusion,
a second link configured to selectively contact the second protrusion,
a motor configured to rotate in a forward direction and a reverse direction, and
a transmission unit configured to transmit rotation of the motor to the first link and the second link, and
wherein the transmission unit comprises:
a first gear configured to receive rotation force from the motor,
a second gear configured to engage with the first gear, and
a third gear configured to rotate together with the second gear in a direction that is equal to a rotation direction of the second gear.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the second gear comprises a first extension configured to selectively contact the first link, and
wherein the third gear comprises a second extension configured to selectively contact the second link.

### Claim 16

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
an inner case that is located in the cabinet and that defines a storage chamber;
a first door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a first side of the storage chamber;
a second door rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close a second side of the storage chamber, the second door comprising a pillar that is configured to rotate relative to the second door and that is configured to contact the first door based on the first and second doors being closed;
a first door switch configured to sense whether the first door opens or closes the first side of the storage chamber;
a second door switch configured to sense whether the second door opens or closes the second side of the storage chamber; and
a driving member configured to rotate the pillar to a folded state in a direction toward the second door or to an unfolded state in a direction away from the second door,
wherein the driving member is configured to rotate the pillar from the folded state to the unfolded state based on both of (i) the first door switch sensing the first door being oriented in a position that opens the first side and (ii) the second door switch sensing the second door being in a position that opens the second side.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the driving member is located at the second door and configured to move together with the second door.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the pillar comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion that are configured to selectively couple to the driving member, and
wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged at the pillar and positioned at different heights with respect to a lower wall of the inner case.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The refrigerator of claim 18:
wherein the driving member comprises:
a first link configured to selectively contact the first protrusion,
a second link configured to selectively contact the second protrusion,
a motor configured to rotate in a forward direction and a reverse direction, and
a transmission unit configured to transmit rotation of the motor to the first link and the second link, and
wherein the transmission unit comprises:
a first gear configured to receive rotation force from the motor,
a second gear configured to engage with the first gear, and
a third gear configured to rotate together with the second gear in a direction that is equal to a rotation direction of the second gear.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the second gear comprises a first extension configured to selectively contact the first link, and
wherein the third gear comprises a second extension configured to selectively contact the second link.