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.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Applications No. 2009-0101613, filed on Oct. 26, 2009 and No. 2010-0053244, filed on Jun. 7, 2010 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]Embodiments relate to an automatic door closing device of a refrigerator, which enables automatic closing of a drawer unit of the refrigerator, and a refrigerator having the same.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Generally, a refrigerator serves to keep food cool or frozen using cold air generated via operation of a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerator includes doors to open or close the interior of a refrigerator body.[0006]The doors are divided into a rotating type door and a drawer type door. The drawer type door is integrally formed with a storage container. The storage container may be retracted from the refrigerator body simultaneously with ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]It is another aspect to provide an automatic door closing device of a refrigerator in which a drawer unit has a short moving distance required to allow the automatic door closing device to begin an operation to close a storage compartment, and a refrigerator having the same.

[0056]A holding member may be arranged at a front region of the storage compartment to reduce a moving distance of the drawer unit required to allow the automatic door closing device to begin an operation to close the storage compartment. The automatic door closing device may slide the drawer in a given direction to enter the storage compartment, and the holding member provided at the storage compartment may operate the automatic door closing device to enable an automatic closing motion of the drawer unit. The damper device may operate simultaneously with the automatic door closing device when including the first damper rod, or may operate with a predetermined time delay after operation of the automatic door closing device begins when including the second damper rod.

Problems solved by technology

This operation, however, may result in incomplete closing of the drawer type door if the user does not sufficiently push the door.

However, the conventional automatic closing device may require that the user push the drawer type door until the door is almost closed, and thus, may have a short operating distance.

Further, if the drawer type door is rapidly moved and closed by the automatic closing device, this may cause damage or shock to the refrigerator.

The holding member provided at the inner wall of the storage compartment may cause an automatic closing motion of the drawer unit by being caught by the automatic door closing device.

A holding member may be provided at an inner wall of the storage compartment and may cause an automatic closing motion of the drawer unit by being caught by the automatic door closing device.

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