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US 11,448,456 B2Granted
Entrance refrigerator
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsMinkyu Oh, Insun Yeo, Kyukwan Choi, Yezo Yun, Deukwon Lee, Minseok Kim, Wonjin Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an entrance refrigerator, when a living organism such as a companion animal is detected in a storage compartment, a drain port provided at the bottom of the storage compartment is opened, such that air outside the storage compartment flows into the storage compartment through the drain port.
Claims13
An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
- a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
- an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
- a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an air hole at a side surface thereof;
- an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- control an operation of the cold air supplier;
- and
- control actuation of the actuator,
- wherein the actuator comprises:
- a plunger configured to perform a linear reciprocating motion to selectively open or close the air hole;
- and
- a driver configured to provide a driving force to the plunger to perform the linear reciprocating motion,
- wherein the entrance refrigerator further comprises a drain box located below the cabinet to store condensed water discharged through the drain port,
- wherein the drain box includes a port receiver protruding upward from a bottom surface of the drain box,
- wherein an upper end of the port receiver includes a recessed portion in which the condense water is filled, and
- wherein a lower end of the drain port is disposed in the recessed portion.
17 more elements
An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
- a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
- an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
- a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
- an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- control an operation of the cold air supplier;
- and
- control actuation of the actuator,
- wherein the opening is a condensed water discharge port provided at a lower end of the drain port, and
- wherein the entrance refrigerator further comprises a drain cover rotatably provided at the lower end of the drain port to selectively open or close the condensed water discharge port.
11 more elements
An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
- a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
- an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
- a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
- an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
- a controller configured to:
- control an operation of the cold air supplier;
- and
- control actuation of the actuator;
- and
- a motion sensor located within the storage compartment,
- wherein the controller is further configured to:
- receive a signal detecting a motion of a living organism within the storage compartment from the motion sensor;
- and
- control the actuator to open the opening in the drain port when motion is detected by the motion sensor.
14 more elements
An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
- a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
- an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
- a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
- a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
- an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
- a controller configured to:
- control an operation of the cold air supplier;
- and
- control actuation of the actuator;
- and
- a carbon dioxide sensor located within the storage compartment,
- wherein the controller is further configured to:
- receive a signal detecting carbon dioxide of a living organism within the storage compartment from the carbon dioxide sensor;
- and
- control the actuator to open the opening in the drain port when a concentration of carbon dioxide detected by the carbon dioxide sensor exceeds a set value.
14 more elements
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet configured to be located partially within a barrier of a building, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein, the cabinet having a first opening into the storage compartment and a second opening into the storage compartment, the second opening being spaced from the first opening, the cabinet further having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
- a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
- a first door coupled to the cabinet to open or close the first opening;
- a second door coupled to the cabinet to open or close the second opening;
- a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
- a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
- an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- control an operation of the cold air supplier;
- and
- control actuation of the actuator,
- wherein the actuator comprises:
- a plunger configured to perform a linear reciprocating motion;
- and
- a driver configured to provide a driving force to the plunger to perform the linear reciprocating motion,
- wherein the entrance refrigerator further comprises a drain cover rotatably provided at the lower end of the drain port to selectively open or close the opening,
- wherein the drain cover comprises:
- a shielding plate configured to close the opening;
- and
- a hinge shaft rotatably connecting one end portion of the shielding plate to the drain port,
- wherein the shielding plate is rotated about the hinge shaft by the actuator, and
- wherein the opening is opened when the shielding plate is separated from the lower end of the drain port.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.