Refrigerator having home bar

Abstract

A refrigerator having a home bar, whose assembly efficiency and aesthetic external appearance are improved, is disclosed. The home bar includes a home bar frame tightly mounted at the inside of an opening, which is formed at a door of the refrigerator door such that the opening communicates with the inside of the refrigerator, a home bar door mounted to the home bar frame such that the home bar door can be hingedly rotated for opening and closing the opening, a coupling-and-releasing unit for coupling the home bar door to the home bar frame and releasing the home bar door from the home bar frame, and at least one hinge member having a rotary shaft movable in the inward and outward directions of the home bar door or the home bar frame such that the rotary shaft can be inserted into or separated from a hinge hole formed at the home bar frame or the home bar door.

1 . A refrigerator having a home bar, the home bar comprising: 
 a home bar frame tightly mounted at the inside of an opening, which is formed at a door of the refrigerator such that the opening communicates with the inside of the refrigerator;    a home bar door mounted to the home bar frame such that the home bar door can be hingedly rotated for opening and closing the opening;    a coupling-and-releasing unit for coupling the home bar door to the home bar frame and releasing the home bar door from the home bar frame; and    at least one hinge member having a rotary shaft movable in the inward and outward directions of the home bar door or the home bar frame such that the rotary shaft can be inserted into or separated from a hinge hole formed at the home bar frame or the home bar door.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge member includes: 
 a fixing case fixed to the home bar door or the home bar frame;    a damping part coupled to the fixing case such that the damping part can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the fixing case, the rotating shaft being rotatably mounted to one end of the damping part; and    an elastic member for elastically supporting the damping part with respect to the fixing case.    
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one hinge member further includes: 
 a damping mechanism mounted in the damping part for reducing the rotating speed of the rotating shaft, when the rotating shaft is rotated in one direction, and restricting the rotating angle of the rotary shaft.    
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one hinge member further includes: 
 a guide slot formed at one side of the fixing case such that the guide slot extends in the moving direction of the rotary shaft;    a manipulation slot formed at the home bar door or the home bar frame such that manipulation slot communicates with the guide slot; and    a movable pin formed at the damping part such that the movable pin protrudes outward from the damping part, the movable pin being exposed to the outside through the guide slot and the manipulation slot.    
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one hinge member further includes: 
 a pin hole formed at one side of the fixing case such that the pin hole is bored through the side of the fixing case;    a manipulation pin hole formed at the home bar door or the home bar frame such that manipulation pin hole communicates with the pin hole; and    a movable pin formed at the damping part such that the movable pin protrudes outward from the damping part, the movable pin being exposed to the outside through the pin hole and the manipulation pin hole, the movable pin being movable in the inward and outward directions of the damping part.    
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one hinge member further includes: 
 a coupling part formed at one side of the fixing case such that the coupling part extends outward from the fixing case, the coupling part having a plurality of screw-coupling holes, through which the coupling part is coupled to the home bar door or the home bar frame by means of screws.    
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge member includes: 
 a fixing case fixed to the home bar door or the home bar frame, the fixing case being formed in the shape of a box;    a driving part rotatably mounted in the rear part of the fixing case, the driving part being provided at one side thereof with concave parts and convex parts, which have inclined surfaces;    a lever formed at the driving part, the lever protruding outside the fixing case such that the lever can be movable;    an actuating part mounted in the fixing case such that the actuating part can be linearly moved, the actuating part being provided at one side thereof with concave parts and convex parts, which have inclined surfaces corresponding to the inclined surfaces of the concave parts and the convex parts of the driving part, the rotating shaft being mounted to the other side of the actuating part such that the rotating shaft protrudes outside the fixing case; and    an elastic member for elastically supporting the actuating part with respect to the fixing case.    
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one hinge member further includes: 
 a guide protrusion formed at one side of the actuating part such that the guide protrusion protrudes from the actuating part; and    a guide groove formed inside the fixing case, while the guide groove extends along the moving direction of the actuating part such that the guide protrusion is engaged in the guide groove, for guiding the movement of the actuating part.    
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the lever protrudes through a lever hole, formed at the rear side of the fixing case, which extends in the rotating direction of the lever, and    the home bar door or the home bar frame is provided at one side thereof, to which the fixing case is fixed, with a manipulation slot, which is formed in the same shape as the lever hole, such that the lever is exposed to the outside through the manipulation slot.    
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the concave parts and the convex parts of the driving part and the concave parts and the convex parts of the actuating part are formed in pairs.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the hinge hole, which is formed at the home bar frame or the home bar door such that the rotating shaft can be securely inserted into the hinge hole, is concaved toward the interior of the home bar frame or the home bar door, and    a reinforcing member is mounted in front and rear of the hinge hole for preventing the separation of the rotating shaft from the hinge hole and reinforcing the strength of the rear part of the hinge hole.    
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the reinforcing member includes: 
 a front plate  142  coupled to the front of the home bar frame or the home bar door for closing the open front part of the hinge hole; and    a reinforcing bracket securely coupled to the home bar frame or the home bar door, the reinforcing bracket including a rear plate for covering the tip end of the rear part of the hinge hole, and side plates for covering opposite sides of the rear part of the hinge hole.    
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the rear plate and the side plates are integrally formed.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the front plate and the side plates are fixed to each other by means of the same fixing unit.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling-and-releasing unit includes: 
 a fastening member formed at the home bar door such that the fastening member protrudes toward the inside of the opening; and    a latch assembly fixedly mounted to the home bar frame, the latch assembly having a holding mechanism for catching the tip end of the fastening member by the pressing force of the fastening member.