Refrigerator

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body having a storage space therein, a door for selectively opening or closing the storage space, a gasket surrounding an edge of a back surface of the door, the gasket being closely attached to the main body, and a handle part provided on a front surface of the door. The handle part includes a handle cover rotated backward by a force pushed by a user's hand, a recess part defined in the door, the recess part being exposed to the outside so that the user's hand is inserted by the rotation of the handle cover, and a grasp part disposed on a side of the recess part to allow a user to grasp the grasp part. A front surface of the handle part is flush with the front surface of the door in a state where an external force in not applied to the handle part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body having a storage space therein;   a door to selectively open and close the storage space;   a gasket surrounding an edge of a back surface of the door, the gasket being disposed at the main body or the door; and   a handle part provided on a front surface of the door, wherein the handle part comprises:   a handle cover rotatable backward by a force of a user's hand;   a recess part defined in the door, the recess part being exposed to the outside by the rotation of the handle cover so that the user's hand is insertable in the recess part; and   a grasp part disposed on a side of the recess part to allow the grasp part to be grasped by the user's hand.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rotation shaft, which serves as a rotation center of the handle cover, is disposed on an upper or lower end of the handle cover; and   a spring associated with the rotation shaft to allow the handle cover to return to an original state when an external force is not applied to the handle cover.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein an end opposite to the rotation shaft of the handle cover has a straight line or a curved shape. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separation unit movable forward and backward within the door, at least a portion of the separation unit protrudable from the back surface of the door to separate the gasket from the door or the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the separation unit comprises a link movable forward and backward within the door. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein, when the handle cover is rotated backward, an end of the handle cover presses against a front surface of the link to cause at least a portion of the link to protrude from the back surface of the door. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a sensor disposed on the front surface of the door or the handle cover; and   a handle driving unit to rotate the handle cover based on a detection signal transmitted from the sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , further comprising a link driving unit to operate the link based on the detection signal transmitted from the sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the link driving unit comprises:
 a pinion engaged with the link; and   a driving motor to drive the pinion.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a pressure sensor disposed on an inner wall of the recess part; and   a link driving unit to operate the link based on a detection signal transmitted from the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein, when the handle cover is rotated backward, the pressure sensor is disposed on a predetermined position of the recess part that contacts with the handle cover. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensor is disposed on a predetermined position of the grasp part that contacts with the user's hand. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , further comprising a detection sensor disposed in the front surface of the door or a front surface of the handle cover to detect the use's hand. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the handle part is flush with the front surface of the door when an external force in not applied to the handle part.