# US 12,181,206 B2 · Electric apparatus and control method thereof

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- Number: US 12,181,206 B2
- Document ID: US12181206B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/851,603
- Filed: 2022-06-28
- Published: 2023-01-05
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-30
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Seungwan Kang; Kyungtae Ko; Sungho Cho; Daesung Ki; Chanyoung Park; Hyunuk Park; Taein Eom
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181206B2

## CPC

- F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042})
- F25D 23/028: {Details}
- E05F 15/614: operated by meshing gear wheels, one of which being mounted at the wing pivot axis; operated by a motor acting directly on the wing pivot axis
- E05F 15/63: operated by swinging arms
- E05F 15/79: using time control
- E05F 17/00: Special devices for shifting a plurality of wings operated simultaneously (for simultaneously moving a plurality of interconnected ventilating lamellae E06B7/086)
- G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00)
- E05F 2017/008: {for swinging wings}
- E05Y 2201/41: for closing
- E05Y 2201/424: for the final opening movement
- E05Y 2201/71: Toothed gearing
- E05Y 2400/32: Position control, detection or monitoring
- E05Y 2400/326: of the angular type
- E05Y 2400/35: related to specific positions
- E05Y 2400/36: Speed control, detection or monitoring
- E05Y 2400/415: for multiple wings
- E05Y 2900/30: for domestic appliances
- E05Y 2900/31: for refrigerators
- E05Y 2900/50: for vehicles
- F25D 2323/024: Door hinges
- 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)
- E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF

## Abstract

An electric apparatus and a control method thereof. The electronic apparatus including a housing; a first door rotationally arranged on one side of the housing; a second door rotationally arranged on the other side of the housing; a first motor operationally connected to the first door; a second motor operationally connected to the second door; a first motor driver electrically connected to the first motor; a second motor driver electrically connected to the second motor; and a processor electrically connected to the first motor driver and the second motor driver, wherein the processor may control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door at a time different than a time the second door that is connected to the second motor driven by the second motor driver closes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first door rotationally arranged on one side of the housing;
a second door rotationally arranged on another side of the housing;
a first motor operationally connected to the first door;
a second motor operationally connected to the second door;
a first motor driver electrically connected to the first motor;
a second motor driver electrically connected to the second motor; and
a processor electrically connected to the first motor driver and the second motor driver, and configured to control the first door and the second door to open or close, respectively,
wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to receiving a user input to automatically close both the first door and the second door, identify whether the first door and the second door are open or closed; and
in response to identifying that the first door is open, control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door, and control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door after closing of the first door is completed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door at a time different than a time the second door closes based on a time during which the first door is open and a time during which the second door is open being equal to or more than a reference time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a first position sensor configured to output a first signal corresponding to a rotational displacement of the first door; and
a second position sensor configured to output a second signal corresponding to a rotational displacement of the second door,
wherein the processor is electrically connected to the first position sensor and the second position sensor, and the processor is configured to:
identify the rotational displacement of the first door and the rotational displacement of the second door based on the first signal and the second signal, respectively, and
control the first motor driver and the second motor driver based on the rotational displacement of the first door and the rotational displacement of the second door.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to start closing the first door, and
control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to start closing the second door based on an angle of the first door while open being smaller than an angle of the second door while open and a difference between the angle of the first door while open and the angle of the second door while open being equal to or larger than a reference angle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to start closing the first door, and
control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to start closing the second door based on a time elapsed after starting to close the first door being equal to or larger than a reference time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and the second motor driver to drive the second motor to respectively close the first door and the second door at different speeds.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to respectively close the first door and the second door at a same speed based on an angle of the first door while open being smaller than an angle of the second door while open; and
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and the second motor driver to drive the second motor to respectively close the first door and the second door at different speeds based on an angle of the first door while open being equal to or larger than an angle of the second door while open.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and the second motor driver to drive the second motor to respectively start closing the first door and the second door-;
control the second motor driver to stop driving the second motor to stop closing the second door while closing the first door; and
control the second motor driver to resume driving the second motor to close the second door based on completion of closing the first door.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
while the second door is closed and the first door is opened, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to open the second door;
in response to opening the second door, control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door; and
control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door based on completion of closing the first door.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
while the second door is closed, control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door;
identify whether closing of the first door has stopped;
in response to identifying that the closing of the first door has stopped, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to open the second door;
in response to opening the second door, control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door; and
control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door based on completion of closing the first door.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and second motor driver to drive the second motor to start closing the first door and stop closing the second door based on a user input to close the first door while closing the second door, and
control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to resume closing the second door based on completion of closing the first door.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the first motor driver to drive the first motor and the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the first door and the second door at different speeds based on a user input to close the first door while closing the second door.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The electric apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microphone to receive a voice signal, wherein the voice signal includes the user input to automatically close both the first door and the second door.

### Claim 14

A control method of an electric apparatus including a housing, a first door rotationally arranged on one side of the housing, a second door rotationally arranged on another side of the housing, a first motor operationally connected to the first door, a second motor operationally connected to the second door, a first motor driver electrically connected to the first motor, a second motor driver electrically connected to the second motor, and a processor electrically connected to the first motor driver and the second motor driver, the control method comprising:
receiving a user input to automatically close both the first door and the second door;
in response to the receiving of the user input, identifying whether the first door and the second door are open or closed;
in response to the identifying that the first door is open, controlling, by the processor, the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door; and
in response to the closing of the first door, controlling the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door to complete the closing of both the first door and the second door.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The control method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first door to close at a time different than a time the second door closes comprises:
starting to close the first door, and
starting to close the second door based on an angle of the first door while open being smaller than an angle of the second door while open and a difference between the angle of the first door while open and the angle of the second door while open being equal to or larger than a reference angle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The control method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first door to close at a time different than a time the second door closes comprises:
starting to close the first door, and
starting to close the second door based on a time elapsed after starting to close the first door being equal to or larger than a reference time.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The control method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first door to close at a time different than a time the second door closes comprises:
closing the first door and the second door at different speeds.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The control method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first door to close at a time different than a time the second door closes comprises:
closing the first door and the second door at a same speed based on an angle of the first door while open being smaller than an angle of the second door while open; and
closing the first door and the second door at different speeds based on an angle of the first door while open being equal to or larger than an angle of the second door while open.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The control method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first door to close at a time different than a time the second door closes comprises:
starting to close the first door and the second door;
stopping to close the second door while closing the first door; and
closing the second door based on completion of closing the first door.

### Claim 20

An electric apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first door rotationally arranged on one side of the housing;
a second door rotationally arranged on another side of the housing;
a first motor operationally connected to the first door;
a second motor operationally connected to the second door;
a first motor driver electrically connected to the first motor;
a second motor driver electrically connected to the second motor; and
a processor electrically connected to the first motor driver and the second motor driver, and configured to control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to open or close the first door, and control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to open or close the second door,
wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to receiving a user input to automatically close both the first door and the second door, identify whether the first door is open or closed;
in response to identifying that the first door is open, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to move the second door so that a difference between an angle Θ1 of the first door and an angle Θ2 of the second door is equal to or a larger than a reference angle to close the first door without an interference of the second door; and
in response to closing the first door, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door to complete the closing of both the first door and the second door automatically,
wherein the angle Θ1 of the first door is an angle between a position at which the first door is closed and a position at which the first door is opened, and
wherein the angle Θ2 of the second door is an angle between a position at which the second door is closed and a position at which the second door is opened.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The electric apparatus of claim 20, further comprises a rotating bar arranged at an edge of the first door to seal a gap between the first door and the second door when both the first door and the second door are closed, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to identifying that the first door is open, identify whether the rotating bar of the first door interferes with the second door;
in response to identifying that the rotating bar interferes with the second door, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to move the second door the angle equal to or larger than the reference angle;
control the first motor driver to drive the first motor to close the first door to place the rotating bar in a position to seal the gap;
in response to closing the first door, control the second motor driver to drive the second motor to close the second door to automatically complete the closing of both the first door and the second door.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The electric apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a microphone to receive a voice signal, wherein the voice signal includes the user input to automatically close both the first door and the second door.