Refrigerator appliance with adjustable screen

Abstract

A refrigerator including a cabinet body having a storage compartment and a door pivotably attached to the cabinet body and configured to open and at least partially close the storage compartment. The door includes a cavity portion defined in an outer side of the door. A mount assembly is connected to the cavity portion of the door and includes a display connected to the mount assembly. The mount assembly is configured to move the display between a stored position with the display disposed in the cavity portion and an extended position with the display positioned outward of the cavity portion. The mount assembly includes an articulation assembly connected to the mount assembly and configured to allow angling or rotating of the display relative to the refrigerator door.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet body having a storage compartment;   a door pivotably attached to the cabinet body and configured to open and at least partially close the storage compartment, the door having an inner side facing the storage compartment and an outer side that includes a cavity portion;   a mount assembly connected to the cavity portion of the door; and   a display connected to the mount assembly, the mount assembly configured to move the display between a stored position with the display disposed in the cavity portion and an extended position with the display positioned outward of the cavity portion.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the display includes a display housing and a display screen disposed on a front portion of the display housing. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the mount assembly is connected to a rear portion of the display housing. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein, in the stored position, the display screen is generally flush with an exterior surface of the outer side of the door. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the mount assembly includes an upper arm and a lower arm, the upper arm and the lower arm connected at a first end to a first mounting bracket coupled to the cavity portion and connected at a second end to a second mounting bracket coupled to the display. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the first mounting bracket is fixedly coupled to a lower section of the cavity portion, and wherein the upper arm and the lower arm are each configured to pivot about a horizonal axis on the first mounting bracket between the stored position and the extended position. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the second ends of the upper arm and the lower arm are disposed in the cavity portion above the first mounting bracket in the stored position. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the upper arm includes a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the first arm portion separated from the second arm portion, and
 wherein, in the stored position, the lower arm is positioned between the first arm portion and the second arm portion.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the mount assembly includes an adjustable joint coupled between the display and the cavity portion of the door. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable joint is configured to allow the display to rotate between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable joint is configured to allow the display to pivot between a left tilted position, a centered position, and a right tilted position. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable joint comprises a ball joint configured to allow the display, in the extended position, to rotate and/or tilt between a plurality of positions. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable joint is configured to prevent rotation beyond 90 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the mount assembly includes a counterbalance arm extending between the cavity portion of the door and the display. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a magnet is disposed at the door or the display so as to magnetically engage the other in the stored position. 
     
     
         16 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a door having an outer side;   a mount assembly attached to the outer side of the door; and   a display connected to the mount assembly, the mount assembly configured to adjustably support the display between a stored position against the outer side of the door and an extended position away from the outer side of the door.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the mount assembly is fixed to a cavity in the outer side of the door, and wherein the mount assembly is deployable to move the display from the stored position with the display disposed in the cavity to the extended position with the display positioned outward of the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the mount assembly comprises an articulation joint configured, with the display in the extended position, to angle and/or rotate the display relative to the door. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the mount assembly includes an arm connected between the door and the display that is configured to move between a vertical orientation with the display in the stored position and an angled orientation with the display in the extended position. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein the mount assembly includes a counterbalance arm configured to support the display in the stored position and a plurality of adjusted orientations in the extended position.