Multi-joint link hinge and refrigerator including the same
AssigneesLG Electronics Inc., Eptech Co., Ltd.
InventorsChangseok Oh, Chunho Byun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-joint link hinge includes a hinge bracket, a plurality of side portions, a link module, and a door bracket coupled to the link module. The hinge bracket includes a base portion that defines a plurality of screw coupling holes at a vertical surface of the base portion, and a plurality of side portions that extend from the base portion in a horizontal direction and are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. The link module includes a plurality of links that are coupled to the plurality of side portions along an axis that extends in the vertical direction, where the plurality of links is disposed between the plurality of side portions.
Claims14
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet that defines an upper storage space and a lower storage space disposed vertically below the upper storage space;
- a barrier that partitions the upper storage space and the lower storage space from each other;
- an upper door configured to rotate relative to the cabinet and to open and close the upper storage space;
- a lower door configured to rotate relative to the cabinet and to open and close the lower storage space;
- a hinge bracket fixed to a front surface of the barrier;
- an upper link module coupled to the hinge bracket along a rotation axis of the upper door and configured to rotate the upper door relative to the cabinet, the upper link module being fixed to a bottom surface of the upper door;
- a lower link module coupled to the hinge bracket along a rotation axis of the lower door and configured to rotate the lower door relative to the cabinet, the lower link module being fixed to a top surface of the lower door;
- and
- a supporter that is disposed between the upper link module and the lower link module, the supporter being configured to be in contact with the upper link module or the lower link module based on operation of the upper link module or the lower link module,
- wherein the supporter has a plate shape, the supporter comprising:
- a front guide portion disposed at a front end of the supporter, wherein a height of the front guide portion decreases toward the front end of the supporter, and
- a rear guide portion disposed at a rear end of the supporter, wherein a height of the rear guide portion decreases toward the rear end of the supporter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.