# US 8,770,682 B2 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,682 B2 - Document ID: US8770682B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/391,632 - Filed: 2011-01-19 - Published: 2012-11-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-01 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Eun Joo Lee; Hang Bok Lee - Inventors: Eun Joo Lee; Hang Bok Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770682B2 ## CPC - F25D 23/12: Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove - F25D 23/00: General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) - F25D 23/025: {Secondary closures} - F25D 23/028: {Details} - F25D 23/04: with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners - F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21) - 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) ## Abstract A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a cabinet having a first storage chamber, a plurality of doors which open and close an access opening formed at a front surface of the first storage chamber, a hinge assembly which rotatably couples each door to the cabinet, and a basket assembly rotatably coupled to the cabinet with respect to the hinge assembly, the basket assembly being configured to define a second storage chamber which is received in the first storage chamber. The basket assembly includes a basket frame defining the second storage chamber and a basket mounted on the basket frame to receive food stuff when at least one of the doors is opened. The basket assembly is configured such that an access into the basket is enabled through a front face and rear face of the basket assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet defining a storage chamber of which a front surface is open; a basket assembly, the basket assembly including: a frame rotatable with respect to the cabinet and having a pair of access openings passing therethrough; a plurality of baskets arranged in the access openings; and a door handle projected from a front surface of the frame and having a grasping groove recessed therein; a first door which is opened by rotating in a same direction as a rotation direction of the basket assembly, the first door configured to open or close one of the pair of access openings; a second door which is opened by rotating in the same direction as the rotation direction of the basket assembly, the second door configured to open or close the other of the pair of access openings; a first hinge enabling the first door and the second door to respectively rotate; and a second hinge enabling the basket assembly to rotate, wherein one of the first door and the second door defines a handle shield part covering at least a portion of the door handle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door handle comprises: an extension portion extending frontward from the front surface of the frame; and a front portion extending after being bent at an end of the extension portion, wherein the handle shield part comprises: a first surface covering the front portion by facing the front portion; and a second surface covering the extension portion by facing the extension portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a gasket disposed at a position where the front surface of the frame and a rear surface of the door are in close contact with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein a front end of the handle shield part defined in the one of the first door and the second door is further protruded forward than a front end of the other of the first door and the second door. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the one of the first door and the second door is disposed below the other of the first door and the second door. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a door opening apparatus configured to open the first door and the second door. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a rear surface of the first door or the second door is in close contact with a front surface of the cabinet when the first door or the second door is in a closed position, wherein the refrigerator further comprises a gasket disposed along the rear surface of the first door or the second door which is in close contact with the front surface of the cabinet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the one of the first door and the second door which defines the handle shield part is extended to an entrance of the grasping groove. ### Claim 9 A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet defining a storage chamber of which a front surface is open; a basket assembly, the basket assembly including: a frame rotatable with respect to the cabinet, accommodated in the storage chamber in a closed position, and having an access opening passing therethrough; a plurality of baskets arranged in the access opening; and a door handle projected from a front surface of the frame and having a grasping groove recessed therein; a door which is opened by rotating in a same direction as a rotation direction of the basket assembly, the door including a handle shield part which covers a front surface of the door handle such that the front surface of the door handle is not exposed when the door is in a closed position to close a front surface of the access opening; a first hinge enabling the door to rotate; a second hinge enabling the basket assembly to rotate; and a gasket disposed at a position where the front surface of the cabinet and a rear surface of the door are in close contact with each other, and configured to block leakage of cold air from the storage chamber, wherein the door includes: a first door having the handle shield part; and a second door additionally disposed proximate to the first door, wherein the first door is a predetermined distance away from the second door to allow access of a user's hand to the grasping groove, and wherein a front end of the door handle is further protruded forward than a front end of the second door which is proximate to the door handle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the door handle comprises: an extension portion extending frontward from the front surface of the frame; and a front portion extending after being bent at an end of the extension portion, wherein the handle shield part comprises: a first surface covering the front portion by facing the front portion; and a second surface covering the extension portion by facing the extension portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising a gasket disposed at a position where the front surface of the frame and a rear surface of the door are in close contact with each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the handle shield part is configured to be slanted or rounded frontward with respect to a front surface of the door to cover the door handle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the front surface of the door handle is configured to be slanted or rounded along a profile of the handle shield part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the second door is disposed below the first door, and a lower end of the first door is a predetermined distance away from an upper end of the second door. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein a front end of the handle shield part is further protruded forward than a front end of the second door that corresponds to the handle shield part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein an edge portion of the second door that corresponds to the handle shield part is configured to be slanted or rounded rearward to be positioned rearward of the handle shield part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the first hinge and the second hinge are configured to share a same rotational axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein an edge of the first door which defines the handle shield part is extended to an entrance of the grasping groove. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising a door opening apparatus configured to open the door.