Automatic door closing device of refrigerator and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

An automatic door closing device of a refrigerator, which allows a drawer unit to automatically close a storage compartment, and a refrigerator having the same. The automatic door closing device is provided at a front lateral region of the drawer unit, thereby being operated even if a user moves the drawer unit only a short distance. Further, since the automatic door closing device is positioned so as not to invade an installation space of a sliding device for sliding opening/closing of the drawer unit, the sliding device may be installed to easily support the weight of the drawer unit. A damper device is provided underneath the automatic door closing device to prevent the automatic door closing device from causing sudden closing motion of the drawer unit. The damper device may adjust the beginning of shock alleviation by adjusting the length of a damper rod.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment defined in the body;   a drawer unit inserted into or retracted from the storage compartment;   an automatic door closing device provided at the drawer unit to move the drawer unit to be opened from or closed to the storage compartment; and   a holding member provided at the storage compartment to operate the automatic door closing device,   wherein the automatic door closing device includes
 a case; 
 a slider movable relative to the case; 
 a rotator rotatably provided at one end of the slider to restrain the slider in the case or to release the slider from the case; and 
 an elastic member provided between the case and the slider to provide elasticity, 
 wherein the rotator is linked to the holding member to restrain the slider in the case or to release the slider from the case, so as to allow the slider to move relative to the case. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotator includes a holding recess into which the holding member is engaged. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the case includes a guide rail to guide movement of the rotator along a predetermined route; and   the rotator includes a protrusion inserted into the guide rail so as to be guided along the predetermined route.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the guide rail includes a straight path and a holding portion provided at an end of the straight path to enable rotation of the rotator; and   the slider is released from the case when the protrusion of the rotator is located on the straight path of the guide rail, and is restrained in the case when the protrusion of the rotator is located in the holding portion of the guide rail.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the drawer unit is opened as the elastic member is stretched via relative motion between the slider and the case when the user applies force to the drawer unit, and
 the drawer unit is closed via relative motion between the slider and the case as the elastic member is compressed.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the case includes a guide slot formed in a movement path of the rotator to allow the holding member to be engaged into the holding recess. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the protrusion of the rotator is caught by the holding portion of the guide rail in a retracted state of the drawer unit, and
 the drawer unit is moved to close the storage compartment by elasticity of the elastic member if the protrusion of the rotator is separated from the holding portion and reaches the straight path.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the holding member is separated from the holding recess when the protrusion of the rotator is located in the holding portion of the guide rail, the protrusion of the rotator is separated from the holding portion as the holding member is engaged into the holding recess, and the holding member is kept engaged in the holding recess when the protrusion of the rotator is located on the straight path. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the drawer unit includes a supporting member and a sliding device provided at a lateral surface of the supporting member; and   the sliding device includes a first rail member fixed to an inner lateral surface of the storage compartment, a second rail member provided movably relative to the first rail member, and a third rail member fixed to a lateral surface of the supporting member so as to be movable relative to the second rail member.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the holding member is provided at a lower end of a rail guide that surrounds and fixes the first rail member. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment defined in the body;   a drawer unit inserted into or retracted from the storage compartment;   an automatic door closing device to move the drawer unit in a given direction to enter the storage compartment; and   a holding member provided at the storage compartment to operate the automatic door closing device,   wherein the holding member is located closer to an entrance of the storage compartment than a middle position of the storage compartment, and   wherein the holding member operates the automatic door closing device when the drawer unit begins a closing motion.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the holding member is provided at an inner wall of the storage compartment, and the automatic door closing device is provided at an outer surface of the drawer unit to interfere with the holding member. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment defined in the body;   a drawer unit inserted into or retracted from the storage compartment;   a sliding device provided between the storage compartment and the drawer unit to enable sliding of the drawer unit;   an automatic door closing device to slide the drawer unit in a given direction to enter the storage compartment; and   a holding member provided at the storage compartment to operate the automatic door closing device to enable automatic closing of the drawer unit,   wherein the automatic door closing device is provided at the drawer unit and is spaced apart from a moving path of the sliding device, and   wherein the holding member is spaced apart from the moving path of the sliding device.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the holding member is located closer to an entrance of the storage compartment than a middle position of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         15 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment defined in the body;   a drawer unit inserted into or retracted from the storage compartment;   an automatic door closing device to move the drawer unit in a given direction to enter the storage compartment; and   a damper device to prevent rapid movement of the drawer unit,   wherein the damper device operates simultaneously with operation of the automatic door closing device, or operates with a predetermined time delay after operation of the automatic door closing device begins.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a holding member provided at a lateral surface of the storage compartment to operate the automatic door closing device; and   a damping protrusion provided at the lateral surface of the storage compartment to operate the damper device,   wherein the holding member and the damping protrusion are located respectively closer to an entrance of the storage compartment than a middle position of the storage compartment.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 a moving distance of the automatic door closing device prior to being operated by the holding member is a first operation inducing distance, and a moving distance of the damper device prior to being operated by the damping protrusion is a second operation inducing distance; and   the first operation inducing distance is equal to or smaller than the second operation inducing distance.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the damper device includes:
 a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device; a damper body arranged in the damper case to alleviate external force; and   a damper rod connected to an end of the damper body to come into contact with the damping protrusion according to movement of the drawer unit.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the automatic door closing device includes a case, a slider linearly movable in the case, a rotator rotatably coupled to an end of the slider to be rotated in a predetermined position of the case, and an elastic member connecting the slider and the case to each other. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein the damper rod of the damper device includes a first damper rod having a relatively long length if the first operation inducing distance is equal to the second operation inducing distance, or a second damper rod having a relatively short length if the first operation inducing distance is smaller than the second operation inducing distance. 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein the damper body contains at least one of gas, oil and air for shock alleviation. 
     
     
         22 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment defined in the body;   a drawer unit inserted into or retracted from the storage compartment;   a damper device to prevent shock or damage to the drawer unit due to sudden collision between the drawer unit and the storage compartment; and   a damping protrusion provided at the storage compartment to operate the damper device,   wherein the damper device is moved a predetermined operation inducing distance prior to being operated by the damping protrusion, and   wherein the damper device includes any one of a first damper rod having a relatively long length to reduce the operation inducing distance and a second damper rod having a relatively short length to increase the operation inducing distance.   
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an automatic door closing device to slide the drawer unit in a given direction to enter the storage compartment; and   a holding member provided at the storage compartment to operate the automatic door closing device to enable automatic closing of the drawer unit.   
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 23 , wherein the damper device includes a damper case directly coupled to the automatic door closing device, a damper body arranged in the damper case to alleviate external force, and a damper rod connected to an end of the damper body to come into contact with the damping protrusion according to movement of the drawer unit. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 23 , wherein the damper device operates simultaneously with the automatic door closing device when including the first damper rod, or operates with a predetermined time delay after operation of the automatic door closing device begins when including the second damper rod.