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US 12,449,187 B2Granted
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 links axially coupled to the hinge bracket, and a door bracket coupled to the plurality of links. The hinge bracket includes a base portion that defines a plurality of screw coupling holes at a vertical surface thereof, 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, and a side surface portion that extends from the base portion in the vertical direction and defines a fixing groove. The plurality of links are coupled between the plurality of side portions along an axis that extends in the vertical direction. The multi-joint link hinge is used for a home appliance including refrigerators.
Claims23
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet that defines a storage space;
- a cabinet bracket disposed at the cabinet;
- a door disposed at a front side of the cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, the door defining a hinge mounting portion recessed relative to a top surface of the door;
- a hinge that connects the door to the cabinet, the hinge comprising:
- a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet bracket,
- a door bracket disposed on and coupled to a recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion, and
- a plurality of links that connect between the hinge bracket and the door bracket;
- a mounting bracket that is coupled to the door bracket and defines a first mounting bracket hole, wherein a rotation shaft of the door bracket passes through the first mounting bracket hole;
- and
- a fixing bracket that fixes the mounting bracket to the door,
- wherein the cabinet bracket comprises:
- a support portion coupled to a top surface of the cabinet, and
- a coupling portion that extends upward from the support portion and is coupled to a rear side of the hinge bracket,
- wherein the hinge bracket is configured to overlap with the recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion based on the door being closed,
- wherein the hinge mounting portion defines a mounting hole,
- wherein the fixing bracket defines a fixing bracket hole facing the mounting hole, and
- wherein the refrigerator further comprises a coupling member that passes through both of the mounting hole and the fixing bracket hole.
14 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet that defines a storage space;
- a cabinet bracket disposed at the cabinet;
- a door disposed at a front side of the cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, the door defining a hinge mounting portion recessed relative to a top surface of the door;
- a hinge that connects the door to the cabinet, the hinge comprising:
- a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet bracket,
- a door bracket disposed on and coupled to a recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion, and
- a plurality of links that connect between the hinge bracket and the door bracket;
- a mounting bracket that is coupled to the door bracket and defines a first mounting bracket hole, wherein a rotation shaft of the door bracket passes through the first mounting bracket hole;
- and
- a fixing bracket that fixes the mounting bracket to the door,
- wherein the cabinet bracket comprises:
- a support portion coupled to a top surface of the cabinet, and
- a coupling portion that extends upward from the support portion and is coupled to a rear side of the hinge bracket,
- wherein the hinge bracket is configured to overlap with the recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion based on the door being closed,
- wherein the door bracket defines a door bracket hole at each of top and bottom surfaces thereof, and
- wherein the rotation shaft passes through the door bracket holes and the first mounting bracket hole.
13 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet that defines a storage space;
- a cabinet bracket disposed at the cabinet;
- a door disposed at a front side of the cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, the door defining a hinge mounting portion recessed relative to a bottom surface of the door;
- a hinge that connects the door to the cabinet, the hinge comprising:
- a door bracket disposed on a recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion,
- a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet bracket and configured to overlap with the recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion based on the door being closed, and
- a plurality of links that connect between the hinge bracket and the door bracket;
- a mounting bracket that is coupled to the door bracket and defines a first mounting bracket hole, wherein a rotation shaft of the door bracket passes through the first mounting bracket hole;
- and
- a fixing bracket that fixes the mounting bracket to the door,
- wherein the cabinet bracket comprises:
- a support portion coupled to a bottom surface of the cabinet, and
- a coupling portion that extends downward from the support portion and is coupled to a rear side of the hinge bracket,
- wherein the rotation shaft of the door bracket is rotatably connected to at least one of the plurality of links, the door bracket being connected to the recessed surface of the hinge mounting portion in an extension direction of the rotation shaft,
- wherein the hinge mounting portion defines a mounting hole,
- wherein the fixing bracket defines a fixing bracket hole facing the mounting hole, and
- wherein the refrigerator further comprises a coupling member that passes through both of the mounting hole and the fixing bracket hole.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.