Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a main body having a storage compartment; an inner door having an opening and capable of rotating between a closed position and an open position with respect to the storage compartment; an outer door rotatably provided in front of the inner door to open and close the opening of the inner door; the locking device is arranged on the outer door so as to lock the outer door to the inner door or unlock the outer door from the inner door; and an input unit that receives, from a user, a user input for releasing the lock of the outer door from the inner door, the lock device including: a latch capable of rotating about a latch rotation axis; a locking member that rotates between a locking position at which the outer door is locked to the inner door and an unlocking position at which the outer door is unlocked from the inner door; a lever that is a lever that can be manually operated by a user, the latch rotating from the locked position to the released position as the user applies an operating force to the lever; and a driving source configured to apply a driving force to the latch on the basis of the user input input to the input unit, the driving source applying the driving force to the latch to rotate the latch from the locked position to the released position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more specifically, to a structure capable of locking or unlocking the refrigerator door and automatically opening the door when the lock is released. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigerator is a household appliance that preserves food fresh by comprising a main body having a storage compartment, a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and a door configured to open and close the storage compartment.

[0003] The refrigerator door can be designed to open and close the storage compartment while rotating around a central axis. The refrigerator can also include a locking mechanism to lock the door to keep it closed or to unlock it.

[0004] Furthermore, the refrigerator can be equipped with a structure that enables the door to open automatically.

[0005] The refrigerator door may include an inner door with an opening that is rotatably integrated into the body, and an outer door that is rotatably disposed relative to the inner door to open and close the inner door. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues One aspect of this disclosure is a refrigerator having a locking device capable of locking or unlocking the outer doors of the refrigerator.

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure discloses a refrigerator including a locking device having a manual locking release part that is unlocked by physical force of a user and an automatic locking release part that is unlocked by driving force of a drive source.

[0008] One aspect of this disclosure discloses a refrigerator including a locking device in which an automatic locking release unit is not subjected to load when the manual locking release unit is operated.

[0009] One aspect of this disclosure is a refrigerator with an automatic door opening structure that enables the outer door of the refrigerator to open automatically.

[0010] The technical problems to be solved in this article are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can clearly understand other technical problems not mentioned from the following description.

[0011] Technical solution A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a main body having a storage compartment; an inner door rotatably disposed in front of the main body, having an opening, and rotatable between a closed position and an open position for the storage compartment; an outer door rotatably disposed in front of the inner door to open and close the opening of the inner door; a locking device disposed in the outer door to lock the outer door to or unlock it from the inner door; and an input unit for receiving user input from a user to unlock the outer door from the inner door, wherein the locking device includes: a latch rotatable about a latch rotation axis between a locked position for locking the outer door to the inner door and a unlocked position for unlocking the outer door from the inner door; a lever, as a lever that can be manually operated by a user, wherein the latch rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position as the user applies an operating force to the lever; and a drive source, as a drive source configured to apply a driving force to the latch based on the user input input to the input unit, to rotate the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0012] The inner part may include a fixing part, and the latch may include: a latch body part; and a latch hook part protruding from the latch body part, wherein the latch body part and the latch hook part rotate together about the latch rotation axis as the latch rotates, and the fixing part and the latch hook part are configured to engage the latch hook part with the fixing part in the locked position and to release the engagement between the latch hook part and the fixing part in the released position.

[0013] The locking device may include a latch resilient member configured to resiliently bias the latch to the locked position.

[0014] The driving force can be applied to one end of the latch body, and the operating force can be applied to the other end of the latch body.

[0015] The locking device may include: a pusher that moves linearly along the rotation axis of the latch by the driving force; and a connector that moves linearly between a base position and a forward position according to the linear movement of the pusher by the driving force, wherein the pusher and the connector are configured such that when the connector moves from the base position to the forward position by the linear movement of the pusher, the connector presses against the latch, thereby rotating the latch from the locked position to the released position.

[0016] The latch may include an inclined surface, wherein the connector may include a connector protrusion that presses against the inclined surface, wherein the inclined surface is inclined relative to the pressing direction of the connector protrusion so as the connector protrusion presses against the inclined surface to rotate the latch from the locked position to the released position.

[0017] When the connector is in the base position, the latch can rotate from the locked position to the released position without interference from the connector.

[0018] The latch may include an avoidance portion configured to be unaffected by the connector protrusion during the process of the connector being in the base position and the latch being rotated from the locked position to the released position by the operating force.

[0019] The pusher and the connector can be formed separately, and the locking device may further include: a connector elastic component that elastically biases the connector to the base position.

[0020] The pusher and the connector can be integrated.

[0021] The drive source may include a motor that generates rotational force, and the locking device may further include a rotating gear that is rotatable by the rotational force generated by the motor, and the pusher may include a rack that meshes with the rotating gear, wherein the rotating gear and the rack may be configured such that the rotating gear rotates with the generated rotational force, and the rack moves along the axial direction of the latch rotation axis to cause the pusher to move linearly.

[0022] The drive source may include: a solenoid having a plunger capable of linear movement by magnetic force generated by a coil, and the linear movement of the plunger applying a driving force to the latch.

[0023] The locking device may further include a connecting rod disposed between the lever and the latch to transmit operating force from the lever to the latch, wherein the connecting rod is rotatable together with the latch about the latch rotation axis.

[0024] The connecting rod may include: a rod body; a rod extension extending radially from the rod body; and a connecting pin, which serves as a connecting pin for engaging the lever and is positioned eccentrically from the rotation axis of the latch, wherein if a user applies an operating force to the lever, the connecting pin moves and applies the operating force to the latch.

[0025] The lever is rotatable about a lever rotation axis perpendicular to the latch rotation axis. The lever may include: a lever shaft; a lever handle, which is a lever handle portion protruding from the lever shaft for user operation, and which rotates together with the lever shaft about the lever rotation axis as the lever handle rotates; and a pin engagement portion, which is a pin engagement portion engaged with the connecting pin, and which applies an operating force to the latch by movement.

[0026] From another perspective, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes: a main body having a storage compartment; an inner door rotatably disposed in front of the main body and having an opening; an outer door rotatably disposed in front of the inner door to open and close the opening; a fixing part disposed in the inner door; a latch, configured to rotate about a latch rotation axis between a locked position engaged with the fixing part and a released position unengaged with the fixing part, including a latch body forming the latch rotation axis and a latch hook protruding from the latch body; a latch elastic member for elastically biasing the latch to the locked position; an input part configured to receive an unlocking signal from a user for releasing the latch; and a drive source configured to generate a driving force based on the unlocking signal input to the input part, thereby enabling the latch to rotate to the released position by the driving force.

[0027] The refrigerator may further include a pusher that moves linearly along the rotation axis of the latch by a driving force.

[0028] The refrigerator may further include a connector configured to convert linear movement of the pusher into rotation of the latch.

[0029] The latch may include an inclined surface, and the connector may include a connector protrusion that presses against the inclined surface. The inclined surface may be formed at an angle relative to the pressing direction of the connector protrusion so that the latch rotates from the locked position to the released position as the connector protrusion presses against the inclined surface.

[0030] The input section may include: a touch substrate mounted inside the outer section in a manner corresponding to a touch area formed on the front surface of the outer section, and having a touch sensor for sensing the user's touch.

[0031] Technical effect According to this disclosure, if the locking device unlocks the outer door, the outer door can be opened automatically without any additional operation.

[0032] According to this disclosure, the locking state of the external door can be released by the operating force of the lever operated by the user, or by the driving force of a separate drive source.

[0033] According to this disclosure, when a user unlocks the outer door by operating a lever, the automatic lock release unit may be subjected to a load.

[0034] The effects achievable by this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will clearly understand other effects not mentioned through the description below. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and showing all doors closed.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and also a diagram showing an external door with open.

[0037] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and shows all doors open.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the inner and outer departments according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present invention, and along... Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of line II.

[0041] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present invention, and along... Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of line II-II.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating a locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the combination structure of the lever and connecting rod according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 10 This is an exploded view showing a portion of a locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 11The figure shows the housing cover being separated from the housing of the locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the connection structure of the connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 13 This is a perspective view showing a connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 14 This is another perspective view showing a connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing the state in which the connector is in the base position and the latch is in the locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 16 It is along Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of line III-III.

[0051] Figure 17 This is a diagram showing the connector in the forward position and the latch in the released position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 18 It is along Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of line IV-IV.

[0053] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating a structure in which a solenoid is used as a drive source according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 20 It is shown Figure 19 A diagram illustrating the operation of a solenoid.

[0055] Figure 21 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of a bevel gear applied between a motor and a rack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The various embodiments and terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described herein to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives to the corresponding embodiments.

[0057] Regarding the description of the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to indicate similar or related constituent elements.

[0058] Unless the context clearly specifies otherwise, the singular form of the noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items mentioned.

[0059] In this disclosure, each of the statements such as “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C” and “at least one of A, B or C” can include one of the items listed together in the corresponding statement or all possible combinations thereof.

[0060] The term "and / or" includes a combination of the constituent elements of multiple related records or a structural element among the constituent elements of multiple related records.

[0061] Terms such as “first,” “second,” or “first,” “second” can be used simply to distinguish one constituent element from another, and do not limit the constituent element in other respects (e.g., importance or order).

[0062] Furthermore, the terms “front surface,” “rear surface,” “upper surface,” “lower surface,” “side,” “left side,” “right side,” “upper part,” and “lower part” used in this disclosure are defined based on the accompanying drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0063] Terms such as “comprising” or “having” are used to specify the presence of features, figures, steps, operations, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof described in this disclosure, without precluding the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features or figures, steps, operations, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof.

[0064] When a constituent element is referred to as “connected,” “joined,” “supported,” or “in contact” with another constituent element, this includes not only cases where the constituent elements are directly connected, joined, supported, or in contact, but also cases where they are indirectly connected, joined, supported, or in contact through a third constituent element.

[0065] When a constituent element is "on" another constituent element, this includes not only the case where a constituent element is connected to another constituent element, but also the case where there is another constituent element between the two constituent elements.

[0066] A refrigerator according to one embodiment may include a main body.

[0067] The main body may include thermal insulation material. The thermal insulation material insulates the interior of the storage room from the exterior, thereby maintaining the interior temperature at a set, suitable temperature unaffected by the external environment. According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation material may include a foamed insulation material such as polyurethane foam. According to another embodiment, in addition to foamed insulation material, the thermal insulation material may also include vacuum insulation material, or the insulation material may be constructed solely using vacuum insulation material without including foamed insulation material.

[0068] The storage room can store various items such as food, medicine, and cosmetics, and the storage room can be configured such that at least one side is open for accessing and storing items.

[0069] A refrigerator may include one or more storage compartments. When a refrigerator has two or more storage compartments, each compartment may have a different purpose and may be maintained at a different temperature. For this purpose, each compartment may be divided from the other by a partition including insulating material.

[0070] Storage compartments can be configured to maintain a suitable temperature range depending on their purpose, and may include "refrigerated compartments," "freezer compartments," or "variable temperature compartments" distinguished by their purpose and / or temperature range. Refrigerated compartments can maintain temperatures suitable for refrigerated storage of items, while freezer compartments can maintain temperatures suitable for frozen storage of items. "Refrigerated" can mean cooling items to a cooler temperature without freezing; for example, a refrigerated compartment can maintain a temperature range of 0 degrees Celsius to 7 degrees Celsius. "Freezing" can mean cooling items to freeze or keep them frozen; for example, a freezer compartment can maintain a temperature range of -20 degrees Celsius to -1 degree Celsius. A variable temperature compartment can be used as either a refrigerated compartment or a freezer compartment, depending on the user's choice or unrelated to this.

[0071] In addition to names such as "refrigeration room", "freezer room" and "variable temperature room", storage rooms can also be called "vegetable room", "fresh room", "cooling room" and "ice making room" and so on. The terms "refrigeration room", "freezer room" and "variable temperature room" used below should be understood to include the meaning of storage rooms with their respective uses and temperature ranges.

[0072] A refrigerator according to one embodiment may include at least one door configured to open and close storage compartments on an open side. The door may be configured to open and close one or more storage compartments respectively, or a single door may be configured to open and close multiple storage compartments. The door may be rotatably or slidably disposed on the front surface of the body.

[0073] The door can be configured to seal the storage compartment when closed. Similar to the body, the door may include insulation material to insulate the storage compartment when the door is closed.

[0074] According to one embodiment, a door may include an outer door panel forming the front surface of the door, an inner door panel forming the rear surface of the door and facing the storage room, an upper cover, a lower cover, and door insulation material disposed inside them.

[0075] The inner edge of the door panel may be fitted with a gasket that, when the door is closed, fits snugly against the front surface of the main body to seal the storage compartment. The inner door panel may include a rearward-projecting flange for mounting a door basket capable of holding items.

[0076] According to one embodiment, a door may include a door body and a front panel detachably attached to the front side of the door body and forming the front surface of the door. The door body may include an outer door panel forming the front surface of the door body, an inner door panel forming the rear surface of the door body and facing the storage compartment, an upper cover, a lower cover, and door insulation material disposed inside them.

[0077] Refrigerators can be classified according to the arrangement of their doors and storage compartments, such as French door type, side-by-side type, bottom-mounted freezer (BMF), top-mounted freezer (TMF), or single-door refrigerator.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment.

[0079] The air supply unit may include machinery, appliances, electronic devices and / or systems that combine them to generate and direct cold air to cool the storage compartment.

[0080] According to one embodiment, a cooling supply device can generate cold air through a refrigeration cycle that includes the compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation of a refrigerant. For this purpose, the cooling supply device may include a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator capable of driving the refrigeration cycle. According to one embodiment, the cooling supply device may include a semiconductor such as a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element can cool the storage compartment through heating and cooling effects based on the Peltier effect.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a mechanical compartment configured to house at least a portion of the components belonging to the cold air supply device.

[0082] The machine room can be separated from and insulated from the storage room to prevent heat generated from components located in the machine room from being transferred to the storage room. The interior of the machine room can be configured to communicate with the exterior of the main body to dissipate heat from the components located inside the machine room.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a dispenser disposed on the door to provide water and / or ice. The dispenser may be mounted on the door so that a user can access the dispenser without opening the door.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include an ice-making device configured to generate ice. The ice-making device may include an ice-making tray for storing water, an ice-transfer device for separating ice from the ice-making tray, and an ice bucket for storing the ice generated in the ice-making tray.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a control unit for controlling the refrigerator.

[0086] The control unit may include a memory that stores or records programs and / or data for controlling the refrigerator, and a processor that outputs control signals for controlling the cooling supply device, etc., according to the programs and / or data recorded in the memory.

[0087] The memory stores or records various information, data, instructions, programs, etc., required for the operation of the refrigerator. The memory may record temporary data generated during the process of generating control signals for controlling components included in the refrigerator. The memory may include at least one or a combination of volatile or non-volatile memory.

[0088] The processor controls the overall operation of the refrigerator. The processor can run programs stored in memory to control the refrigerator's components. The processor may include a separate neural processing unit (NPU) that executes artificial intelligence models. Furthermore, the processor may include a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. The processor can generate control signals for controlling the operation of the cooling system. For example, the processor can receive temperature information from a temperature sensor in the refrigerator compartment and generate cooling control signals based on this information to control the operation of the cooling system.

[0089] Furthermore, the processor can process user input to the user interface based on programs and / or data recorded / stored in memory, and control the operation of the user interface. The user interface can be provided using input and output interfaces. The processor can receive user input from the user interface. In response to user input, the processor can transmit display control signals and image data to the user interface for displaying images.

[0090] The processor and memory can be integrated or configured separately. A processor may include more than one processor. For example, a processor may include a main processor and at least one subprocessor. Memory may include more than one memory module.

[0091] According to one embodiment, a refrigerator may include a processor and memory for controlling all components of the refrigerator, and may include multiple processors and multiple memories for individually controlling the components of the refrigerator. For example, the refrigerator may include a processor and memory for controlling the operation of a cooling supply device based on the output of a temperature sensor. Furthermore, the refrigerator may be separately equipped with a processor and memory for controlling the operation of a user interface based on user input.

[0092] The communication module can communicate with external devices such as servers, mobile devices, and other household appliances via surrounding access points (APs). An access point (AP) connects a refrigerator or user equipment to a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The refrigerator or user equipment can then connect to the server via the WAN.

[0093] Input interfaces can include buttons, touchscreens, microphones, etc. Input interfaces can receive user input and transmit it to the processor.

[0094] Output interfaces can include displays, speakers, etc. Output interfaces can output various notifications, messages, and information generated by the processor.

[0095] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0096] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and showing all doors closed. Figure 2 This is a diagram showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and also a diagram showing an external door with open. Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and also a diagram showing all doors open. Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the inner and outer departments according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 4 The refrigerator 1 may include a main body 10, storage compartments 21, 22, and 23 formed inside the main body 10, doors 31, 32, 33, and 34 for opening and closing the storage compartments 21, 22, and 23, and a cold air supply device (not shown) for supplying cold air to the storage compartments 21, 22, and 23.

[0098] The main body 10 may include an inner box 11 forming storage chambers 21, 22, and 23, an outer box 12 attached to the outside of the inner box 11 to form the appearance, and a heat-insulating material (not shown) disposed between the inner box 11 and the outer box 12 to insulate the storage chambers 21, 22, and 23. A top cover 9 capable of covering the upper hinge of the inner door 100 may be provided on the upper surface of the main body 10.

[0099] Storage rooms 21, 22, and 23 can be divided into multiple sections by horizontal partitions 15 and vertical partitions 16. Storage rooms 21, 22, and 23 can be divided into upper storage room 21 and lower storage rooms 22 and 23 by horizontal partitions 15, and the lower storage rooms 22 and 23 can be divided into lower left storage room 22 and lower right storage room 23 by vertical partitions 16.

[0100] The upper storage compartment 21 can be used as a refrigerator, and the lower storage compartments 22 and 23 can be used as freezers. However, the division and use of storage compartments 21, 22, and 23 as described above is only an example and is not limited thereto.

[0101] Furthermore, unlike this embodiment, the refrigerator can be a side-by-side refrigerator (SBS) type, which divides the storage compartment into a left and right side by a vertical partition wall; a French door refrigerator (FDR) type, which divides the storage compartment into an upper refrigerator compartment and a lower refrigerator compartment by a horizontal partition wall; or a single-door type with one storage compartment and one door.

[0102] Shelves 26 and storage containers 27 can be installed inside storage rooms 21, 22, and 23.

[0103] The air supply unit can generate cold air by using a cooling cycle of compressing, condensing, expanding and evaporating the refrigerant, and supply the generated cold air to storage chambers 21, 22 and 23.

[0104] The upper storage compartment 21 can be opened and closed by a pair of doors 31 and 32. The doors 31 and 32 are rotatably connected to the main body 10. One of the doors 31 and 32 may be provided with a rotating rod (not shown) that prevents cold air from the storage compartment 21 from flowing out between the doors 31 and 32 when the doors 31 and 32 are closed.

[0105] The lower left storage compartment 22 can be opened and closed via a door 33, and the door 33 is rotatably connected to the main body 10. The lower right storage compartment 23 can be opened and closed via a door 34, and the door 34 is rotatably connected to the main body 10.

[0106] At least one of doors 31, 32, 33, and 34 can be configured as a double door with an inner door and an outer door. For example, the upper right door 32 may include an inner door 100 and an outer door 200.

[0107] The interior door 100 is rotatably connected to the main body 10 via a hinge. The interior door 100 may have an opening 110. The opening 110 may be formed to extend through the central portion of the interior door 100 in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the opening 110 may communicate with the storage compartment 21. A door basket 121 for storing items may be installed in the opening 110. For this purpose, a basket support 120 may protrude from the surface of the interior door 100 facing the opening 110 to mount the door basket 121. A handle 170 may be provided in the interior door 100 to allow a user to grip and open the interior door 100.

[0108] The outer door 200 can be configured to open and close the opening 110 of the inner door 100. When the outer door 200 is open, the opening 110 of the inner door 100 and the door basket 121 provided at the opening 110 can be accessed. That is, when the inner door 100 does not need to be opened but the outer door 200 is opened, the door basket 121 can be accessed.

[0109] The outer door 200 can be rotatably connected to the inner door 100 via the upper hinge 300 and the lower hinge 301.

[0110] The rotation axis R1 of the outer door is parallel to the rotation axis of the inner door, and the outer door 200 can rotate in the same direction as the inner door 100. The outer door 200 can have dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the inner door 100. The outer door 200 can cover the entire area of ​​the inner door 100.

[0111] The refrigerator 1 may include a locking device 400 capable of locking or unlocking the outer door 200. If the outer door 200 is locked by the locking device 400, the outer door 200 cannot be opened, and if the outer door 200 is unlocked by the locking device 400, the outer door 200 can be opened.

[0112] Locking device 400 may be provided on outer door 200. Locking device 400 may include a latch 500 configured to rotate about latch rotation axis R2. Latch rotation axis R2 may be formed parallel to outer door rotation axis R1.

[0113] The inner door 100 may be provided with a fixing part 140 for engaging or disengaging the latch 500. The fixing part 140 may be provided on the front surface of the inner door 100. A recessed slot 130 may be formed on the front surface of the inner door 100, and the fixing part 140 may be formed inside the slot 130.

[0114] The latch 500 may include a hook shape engaged with the fixing part 140. The latch 500 may be configured to be rotatable via a latch axis R2 between a locked position engaged with the fixing part 140 and a released position unengaged with the fixing part 140. Figure 4 , Figure 6 Rotate around the center.

[0115] When the latch 500 is in the locked position, that is, when the latch 500 is engaged with the fixing part 140, the outer door 200 is locked and cannot be opened.

[0116] When the latch 500 is in the released position, that is, when the latch 500 is released from the engagement with the fixing part 140, the outer door 200 is in an unlocked state and the outer door 200 can be opened.

[0117] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the outer door 200 is in an unlocked state, the outer door 200 can be automatically opened without any additional operation. For this purpose, the refrigerator 1 may include a door resilient member 390 that is resiliently biased towards the outer door 200 in the opening direction. Figure 4 ).

[0118] A door resilient member 390 may be disposed between the hinge 300 and the outer door 200. The door resilient member 390 may record the resilient force when the outer door 200 is closed. If the lock of the outer door 200 is released, the outer door 200 may be opened by means of the resilient force accumulated in the door resilient member 390.

[0119] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the locking device 400 can be operated manually and automatically. That is, the latch 500 can be rotated by a user's physical force (i.e., operating force), or the latch 500 can be rotated by a driving force generated by a separate drive source. For this purpose, the locking device 400 may include a manual locking release part and an automatic locking release part. However, according to an embodiment, one of the manual locking release part and the automatic locking release part may be omitted.

[0120] The manual locking release mechanism may include a lever 800, which is configured to allow manual operation by a user through contact. The lever 800 may be configured to rotate the lever axis R3 ( Figure 9 The lever 800 rotates around its axis R3. The user's operating force applied to the lever 800 is transmitted to the latch 500, allowing the latch 500 to rotate. The user can open the outer door 200 by pulling the lever 800 horizontally, rather than rotating the lever 800 around its rotation axis R3. In this respect, the lever 800 can also be referred to as the handle of the outer door 200. The lever 800 can be located at the lower part of the outer door 200.

[0121] Refrigerator 1 may include an input unit 50 configured to receive an unlock signal from a user for unlocking the outer door 200. Figure 5 According to one embodiment, the input unit 50 may include a touch substrate 60 containing a touch sensor for sensing user touch. Figure 5 A touch area 70 may be provided on the front surface of the outer door 200. Figure 1 The touch substrate 60 can be disposed inside the outer part 200 in a manner corresponding to the touch area 70. That is, the touch area 70 can be disposed on the front surface panel 220 described later. Figure 5 The front surface of the front panel 220, and the touch substrate 60 can be disposed in the rear surface of the front panel 220 at a position corresponding to the touch area 70.

[0122] The touch area 70 may include identifiable symbols or designs. The touch area 70 may be formed using a printed layer disposed on the front surface of the front surface panel 220. The touch substrate 60 may be configured to sense static electricity generated when a user touches the touch area 70. However, the input section 50 is not limited to this type of touch substrate and may also be formed using physical buttons, various switches, etc.

[0123] Figure 4 Unspecified reference numerals 230, 240, 245, 250, and 260 respectively represent the heat insulation panel 230, the door frame 240, the frame cover 245, the door bushing 250, and the gasket 260.

[0124] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is along... Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of line II. Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the outer part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is along... Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of line II-II.

[0125] Reference Figures 5 to 7 The structure of the outer door 200 and the locking device 400 will be described. The outer door 200 may include a front surface panel assembly 210 forming the front surface of the outer door 200, a door frame 240 forming the two side surfaces of the outer door 200, a door bushing 250 forming the rear surface edge of the outer door 200, an upper cover 270, and a lower cover 280.

[0126] The front panel assembly 210 may include a front panel 220 and at least one heat-insulating panel 230 disposed behind and spaced apart from the front panel 220. According to one embodiment, the front panel 220 and the heat-insulating panel 230 may be formed using a transparent material (e.g., glass). Therefore, even when the outer door 200 is closed, the opening 110 of the inner door 100 and the door basket 121 disposed at the opening 110 can be seen through the front panel 220 and the heat-insulating panel 230.

[0127] According to an embodiment, the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230 may also be formed using a translucent or opaque material. According to an embodiment, the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230 may also be configured to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state. According to an embodiment, the front surface panel 220 may include a display.

[0128] An intermediate component 231 may be provided in the gap between the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230. The intermediate component 231 may cover the gap between the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230. If there are multiple heat insulation panels 230, the intermediate component 231 may also be provided between the heat insulation panels 230.

[0129] The intermediate component 231 may have a rectangular frame shape. The intermediate component 231 may support the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230. The intermediate component 231 may allow a first heat insulation space 291 to be formed between the front surface panel 220 and the heat insulation panel 230, and between multiple heat insulation panels 230. That is, the first heat insulation space 291 can be formed by the front surface panel 220, the heat insulation panel 230, and the intermediate component 231. The first heat insulation space 291 can be formed using multiple heat insulation panels 230 and the intermediate component 231. The first heat insulation space 291 may be formed as a vacuum or an air insulation layer may be formed within the first heat insulation space 291.

[0130] The door frame 240 can form both sides of the outer door 200. The door frame 240 can be made of metal. The door frame 240 can have a rectangular frame shape. For example... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the door frame 240 may include a rear surface portion 241, a side surface portion 242 bent from the rear surface portion 241, and a front surface portion 243 bent from the side surface portion 242.

[0131] The rear surface portion 241 of the frame can form the edge portion of the rear surface of the outer door 200. The door bushing 250 can be attached to the rear surface portion 241 of the frame. The side surface portion 242 of the frame can form the side surface of the outer door 200. The front surface portion 243 of the frame can be attached to the front surface panel 220.

[0132] A second thermal insulation space 292 can be formed by the front surface panel assembly 210, door frame 240, door bushing 250, upper cover 270, and lower cover 280. Thermal insulation material 293 can be disposed in the second thermal insulation space 292. Thermal insulation material 293 may include polyurethane foam.

[0133] The locking device 400 may include a housing 410 having a receiving space 420 and a device detachably coupled to the housing 410 to cover the receiving space 420. Figure 11 The housing cover 450. The housing 410 can divide the containing space 420 from the heat insulation space 292, so that the heat insulation material will not penetrate into the interior of the containing space 420.

[0134] The receiving space 420 may house a motor 1010, at least one rotating gear 1020, a pusher 600, a connector 700, a latch 500, etc. The receiving space 420 may be configured to be open on one side, and the housing cover 450 may cover the open side of the receiving space 420.

[0135] The housing 410 can be disposed inside the outer door 200. The housing 410 can be disposed in the space formed between the rear surface portion 241 and the front surface portion 243 of the frame. The housing 410 can be embedded and fixed in the thermal insulation material 293. The housing cover 450 can be disposed inside the outer door 200.

[0136] The rear surface portion 241 of the frame may include a frame opening 244. The frame opening 244 may be formed at a position corresponding to the housing 410 of the locking device 400. The interior of the housing 410 can be accessed through the frame opening 244.

[0137] The outer door 200 may include a frame cover 245 detachably coupled to the frame opening 244 to cover the frame opening 244. The frame cover 245 may include a frame cover opening 246 to communicate with the latch 500 of the locking device 400.

[0138] The connecting rod 900, which connects the latch 500 to the lever 800, can be disposed inside the outer door 200. The connecting rod 900 can be rotatably housed inside a rod cover (not shown) to allow the connecting rod 900 to rotate. The rod cover (not shown) can be used to divide the heat insulation space 292 and the internal space of the rod cover.

[0139] The door bushing 250 can be attached to the rear surface of the door frame 240. The door bushing 250 can form part of the rear surface of the outer door 200. A gasket mounting portion 251 for mounting the gasket 260 can be recessed on the rear surface of the door bushing 250.

[0140] Gasket 260 can be installed on the gasket mounting portion 251 of door bushing 250. Gasket 260 can be formed of an elastic material such as rubber. When the outer door 200 is closed, gasket 260 can fit tightly against the front surface of the inner door 100. When the outer door 200 is closed, gasket 260 can fit tightly against the periphery of the opening 110 on the front surface of the inner door 100 to seal the opening 110.

[0141] The upper cover 270 can be attached to the upper end of the front surface panel 220 and the door bushing 250. The upper cover 270 may include a hinge receiving portion 271 recessed in one surface of the upper cover 270 to receive a hinge 300. The hinge 300 may include a hinge pin forming the rotation axis R1 of the outer door, and a hinge pin insertion hole 274 for inserting the hinge pin may be formed in the hinge receiving portion 271.

[0142] The lower cover 280 can be attached to the lower end of the front surface panel 220 and the door bushing 250. A lever 800 can be rotatably mounted on the lower cover 280 about the lever rotation axis R3. The lever 800 can be manually operated by the user to release the locking device 400. A lever receiving part 281 for receiving the lever 800 can be formed in the lower part of the lower cover 280.

[0143] The lever 800 may include a lever shaft 810 forming a lever rotation axis R3 and a lever handle portion 820 protruding from the lever shaft 810 to be operable by a user. A shaft support portion 282 that rotatably supports the lever shaft 810 may be provided in the lever receiving portion 281 of the lower cover 280.

[0144] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating a locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the combination structure of the lever and connecting rod according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is an exploded view showing a portion of a locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 The figure shows the housing cover being separated from the housing of the locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the connection structure of the connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 This is a perspective view showing a connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 14 This is another perspective view showing a connector and latch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0145] Reference Figures 8 to 14 The configuration of a locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0146] The locking device 400 includes a latch 500 configured to rotate about a latch rotation axis R2, a locking mechanism for locking the outer door 200, a manual locking release part configured to manually rotate the latch 500 to release the lock of the outer door 200, and an automatic locking release part configured to automatically rotate the latch 500 to release the lock of the outer door 200.

[0147] The latch 500 may include a latch body portion 510 forming a latch rotation axis R2 and a latch hook portion 550 protruding from the latch body portion 510 to engage with a fixing portion 140 formed in the inner part 100. The latch body portion 510 may have a cylindrical shape, and the latch hook portion 550 may protrude radially from the outer peripheral surface of the latch body portion 510. The latch hook portion 550 may be formed into a hook shape.

[0148] The latch 500 can be engaged with the latch hook 550 in the locking position 500A of the fixing part 140. Figure 16 The release position 500B where the hook 550 is released from the fixing part 140 ( Figure 18 Rotate between ).

[0149] The locking mechanism for locking the outer door 200 may include a latch resilient member 570. The latch resilient member 570 may include a compression spring. The latch resilient member 570 may resiliently bias the latch 500 so that the latch 500 is oriented toward a locked position. Therefore, if no external force is applied to the latch 500, the latch 500 may rotate to the locked position by the elastic force of the latch resilient member 570, and the latch hook 550 and the retaining portion 140 engage, so that the outer door 200 can be in a locked state.

[0150] One end of the latching resilient member 570 can be supported by the housing 410 of the locking device 400, and the other end of the latching resilient member 570 can be supported by the latch 500 (see reference). Figure 6 The latch 500 may include a door resilient member support 542. Figure 10 ), to support the latch elastic member 570.

[0151] The manual locking release mechanism may include a lever 800 configured to be manually operated by the user. The lever 800 may be configured to be rotatable about the lever rotation axis R3 at the lower part of the outer part 200.

[0152] The latch 500 can be rotated by applying an operating force to the lever 800. The operating force applied to the lever 800 can be transmitted to the latch 500 through one end of the latch 500, thereby causing the latch 500 to rotate. As an example, the operating force applied to the lever 800 can be transmitted through the lower end 512 of the latch 500. Figure 10 And then it is passed to latch 500.

[0153] The manual locking release mechanism may include a connecting rod 900 disposed between the lever 800 and the latch 500 to transmit the operating force applied to the lever 800 to the latch 500. The connecting rod 900 may be configured to rotate about a lever rotation axis R4. The lever rotation axis R4 may be formed on the same line as the latch rotation axis R2. The connecting rod 900 may be attached to one end of the latch 500. As an example, the connecting rod 900 may be attached to the lower end 512 of the latch 500. The connecting rod 900 may be attached to the latch 500 to rotate together with the latch 500.

[0154] The connecting rod 900 may include a rod body portion 910 forming a rod rotation axis R4 and a rod extension portion 920 extending radially from the rod body portion 910.

[0155] The main body 910 may include a connecting end 911 that engages with the latch 500. The connecting end 911 may be inserted into and engaged with a portion of the latch 500. The connecting end 911 and the latch 500 may be engaged by a fastening member SS. For this purpose, a connecting hole 912 may be formed in the connecting end 911, and a connecting hole 541 may be formed in the latch 500.

[0156] The connecting rod 900 may include a connecting pin 930 disposed on the rod extension 920 for engagement with the lever 800. The connecting pin 930 may be formed at an eccentric position from the rod rotation axis R4.

[0157] The lever 800 may include a lever shaft 810 forming a lever rotation axis R3, a lever handle portion 820 protruding from the lever shaft 810 for operation by a user, and a pin engagement portion 830 configured to engage with a connecting pin 930.

[0158] With this configuration, when the user applies a physical operating force to the lever 800 through the lever handle 820, the lever 800 can rotate around the lever rotation axis R3, and the operating force can be transmitted to the connecting rod 900 through the pin engagement 830 and the connecting pin 930. That is, the rotational motion of the lever 800 around the lever rotation axis R3 can be converted into the rotational motion of the connecting rod 900 around the rod rotation axis R4.

[0159] Since the connecting rod 900 is coupled to the latch 500 in a manner that rotates together with the latch 500, the latch 500 can rotate according to the rotation of the connecting rod 900.

[0160] With this configuration, the latch 500 can be rotated from the locked position to the released position by the user's operating force, thereby releasing the latch 500 from the fixed part 140 and thus releasing the lock of the outer door 200.

[0161] If the user's operating force applied to the lever 800 disappears, the latch 500 can rotate to the locked position by the elastic force of the latch elastic member 570. When the latch 500 rotates to the locked position, conversely, the rotational movement of the latch 500 can be converted into the rotational movement of the lever 800 by the connecting pin 930 and the pin engagement 830.

[0162] The automatic locking release unit may include a drive source 1000 that generates driving force based on a release signal input to the input unit 50. The refrigerator 1 may include a control unit that controls the operation of the drive source 1000 based on signals input to the input unit 50. The input unit 50 may receive user input and transmit it to the control unit, which can operate the drive source 1000 by processing the transmitted input. The refrigerator may include a communication unit for communicating with external devices. The control unit may also receive a user release signal from an external device via the communication unit, thereby controlling the operation of the drive source 1000.

[0163] The latch 500 can be rotated by the driving force generated by the drive source 1000. The driving force generated by the drive source 1000 can be transmitted to the latch 500 through the opposite end of the latch 500. As an example, the driving force can be transmitted through the upper end 511 of the latch 500. Figure 10 And then it is passed to latch 500.

[0164] The automatic locking release unit may include a pusher 600 that moves linearly along the latch rotation axis R2 by a driving force, and a base position 700A based on the linear movement of the pusher 600. Figure 15 ) and forward position 700B ( Figure 19 Connector 700 moves linearly between the base position and the forward position. As connector 700 moves from the base position to the forward position, connector 700 can pressurize latch 500. Latch 500 can be rotated from the locked position to the released position by the pressure generated by connector 700.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the pusher 600 and the connector 700 can be formed separately. In this case, the automatic locking release part may include a connector elastic member 750 that elastically biases the connector 700 to a base position. The connector elastic member 750 may include a compression spring. One end of the connector elastic member 750 may be supported by the connector 700, and the other end of the connector elastic member 750 may be supported by the housing 410. A connector elastic member support 740 for supporting the connector elastic member 750 may be provided in the connector 700. Figure 12 ), and the housing 410 may be provided with a connector elastic member support 440 for supporting the connector elastic member 750. Figure 12 ).

[0166] The drive source 1000 may be a motor 1010 that generates rotational force. The motor 1010 may be a motor capable of driving in both forward and reverse directions. The automatic locking release unit may include at least one rotating gear 1020 for transmitting the rotational force generated by the motor 1010 to the pusher 600. The at least one rotating gear 1020 may be connected to the motor shaft of the motor 1010 and rotate. The at least one rotating gear 1020 may have a two-stage spur gear configuration to reduce and transmit the rotational force. As an example, the at least one rotating gear 1020 may be constructed using an upper spur gear and a lower spur gear with a radius smaller than the upper spur gear.

[0167] The pusher 600 may include a rack 610 that meshes with at least one rotating gear 1020 and moves linearly along the direction of the latch rotation axis R2. With this configuration, the rotational force of the motor 1010 can be converted into linear motion of the pusher 600. As an example, if the motor 1010 is driven in the positive direction, the pusher 600 can move linearly in the direction close to the latch 500, and if the motor 1010 is driven in the negative direction, it can move in the opposite direction.

[0168] The pusher 600 may include a pressure section 620 for pressurizing the connector 700. When the pusher 600 moves in a direction close to the latch 500, it can pressurize the connector 700, thereby causing the connector 700 to move linearly from the base position to the forward position. At this time, the connector elastic member 750 can be compressed to accumulate elastic force.

[0169] Conversely, when the pusher 600 moves away from the latch 500, the connector 700 can return from the forward position to the base position by means of the elastic force of the connector elastic member 750.

[0170] According to one embodiment, the pusher 600 and the connector 700 can be integrally formed. In this case, since the pusher 600 and the connector 750 can move forward and backward together, the connector elastic component 750 can be omitted.

[0171] As connector 700 moves from the base position to the forward position, connector 700 rotates latch 500 from the locked position to the released position by pressing latch 500. For this purpose, latch 500 may include a beveled surface 520, and connector 700 may include a connector protrusion 730 that presses the beveled surface 520.

[0172] An inclined surface 520 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface 540 of the latch body portion 510. At least one inclined surface 520 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface 540 of the latch body portion 510. The inclined surface 520 may be formed obliquely relative to the pressing direction of the connector protrusion 730. That is, the inclined surface 520 may be formed to be oblique relative to the linear movement direction of the connector 700 or the direction of the latch rotation axis R2.

[0173] The connector 700 may include a rotation guide 710 configured to surround the latch body 510 to guide rotation of the latch 500. A portion of the latch body 510 may be received within a guide interior space 720 formed inside the rotation guide 710. A connector protrusion 730 may be configured to project from an inner surface of the rotation guide 710. At least one connector protrusion 730 may be formed on the inner surface of the rotation guide 710.

[0174] With this configuration, if the user inputs a release signal to the input unit 50, the drive source 1000 generates a driving force while the drive motor 1010 rotates in the positive direction. This driving force causes the pusher 600 and connector 700 to move linearly toward the latch 500. That is, the connector 700 moves from the base position to the forward position, whereby the connector protrusion 730 presses against the latch inclined surface 520, thereby rotating the latch 500 from the locked position to the released position. As the latch 500 rotates from the locked position to the released position, the connection between the latch 500 and the fixing part 140 is released, thereby releasing the lock on the outer door 200.

[0175] At this time, if the drive motor 1010 of the drive source 1000 rotates in the opposite direction, the pusher 600 and the connector 700 can move linearly away from the latch 500. That is, the connector 700 can move from the forward position to the base position, thereby eliminating the pressure of the connector protrusion 730 on the latch inclined surface 520. As the pressure of the connector protrusion 730 on the latch inclined surface 520 disappears, the latch 500 can rotate to the locked position by the elastic force of the latch elastic member 570.

[0176] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the latch 500 can be configured to rotate from a locked position to a released position without interfering with the connector 700 when the connector 700 is in the base position. As an example, when a user rotates the latch 500 from the locked position to the released position by manually locking the release part, the latch 500 can rotate from the locked position to the released position without interfering with the connector 700.

[0177] Therefore, latch 500 may include avoidance part 530 ( Figure 13 , Figure 14 , Figure 16 The avoidance portion 530 is recessed on the outer peripheral surface 540 of the latch body portion 510 to avoid interference with the connector protrusion 730.

[0178] Specifically, when the connector 700 is in the base position, during the process of the latch 500 rotating from the locked position to the released position by the operating force applied by the user to the lever 800, the avoidance portion 530 can be recessed on the outer peripheral surface 540 of the latch 500 so that the latch 500 does not interfere with the connector protrusion 730.

[0179] That is, the avoidance part 530 can be configured such that, when the connector 700 is in the base position 700A and the latch 500 is in the locked position 500A, the avoidance part 530 is located in a predetermined rotation direction relative to the connector protrusion 730. The predetermined rotation direction is the opposite direction to the direction R in which the latch 500 rotates from the locked position to the released position (see reference). Figure 16 ).

[0180] With this configuration, when the user unlocks the outer door 200 via the manual locking release mechanism, the latch 500 will not interfere with the connector 700, thus not placing a load on the automatic locking release mechanism. Therefore, the durability of the motor 1010 and the rotating gear 1020, etc., can be improved and malfunctions can be prevented.

[0181] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing the state in which the connector is in the base position and the latch is in the locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 16 It is along Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of line III-III. Figure 17 This is a diagram showing the connector in the forward position and the latch in the released position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 18 It is along Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of line IV-IV.

[0182] Reference Figures 15 to 18 The operation of the automatic locking release unit of the locking device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0183] like Figure 15 and Figure 16As shown, when the drive source is not operating, the pusher 600 does not pressurize the connector 700, so the connector 700 can be positioned in the base position 700A by the elastic force of the connector elastic member 750. Furthermore, since the connector 700 is in the base position 700A, the connector protrusion 730 of the connector 700 does not pressurize the inclined surface 520 of the latch 500, so the latch 500 can be positioned in the locked position 500A by the elastic force of the latch elastic member 570. Therefore, the latch 500 and the fixing part 140 can be engaged, and the outer part 200 can be in a locked state.

[0184] Based on the user's release signal input at the input unit 50, the motor 1010, which is the drive source 1000, rotates in the positive direction, and the rotational force of the motor 1010 can be converted into the linear motion of the pusher 600 by the rotating gear 1020.

[0185] The pusher 600 can pressurize the connector 700 while making linear movement, allowing the connector 700 to move in the direction F toward the latch 500. That is, the connector 700 can move from the base position 700A to the forward position 700B by the driving force of the drive source 1000. As the connector 700 moves from the base position 700A to the forward position 700B, the connector protrusion 730 of the connector 700 presses against the inclined surface 520 of the latch 500, thereby causing the latch 500 to rotate from the locked position 500A to the released position 500B. As a result, the latch 500 can be released from the fixing part 140, and the outer door 200 can be in an openable state.

[0186] When the outer door 200 is unlocked and in an openable state, the outer door 200 can be opened by means of the door resilient member 390 ( Figure 4 It opens automatically due to the elasticity of the air.

[0187] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating a structure in which a solenoid is used as a drive source according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 It is shown Figure 19 A diagram illustrating the operation of a solenoid.

[0188] Reference Figure 19 and Figure 20 The following describes a driver source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Configurations identical to those in the above embodiments may be given the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0189] According to an embodiment, the drive source 1000 may include a solenoid 1030. The solenoid 1030 may include a plunger 1040 that moves linearly by means of magnetic force generated by a coil. The plunger 1040 may be configured to move linearly along the latch rotation axis R2. Depending on the direction of the magnetic force, the plunger 1040 may move linearly in a direction toward or opposite to the connector 700.

[0190] When the solenoid 1030 is used as the drive source 1000, the rotating gear and pusher of the above embodiment can be omitted, and the plunger 1040 can be configured to directly pressurize the connector 700.

[0191] According to an embodiment, the plunger 1040 and the connector 700 can be integrally formed. In this case, as in the embodiment described above, the connector elastic component 750 that elastically biases the connector 700 to the base position can be omitted.

[0192] Figure 21 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of a bevel gear applied between a motor and a rack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0193] Reference Figure 21 The following describes a driver source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Configurations identical to those in the above embodiments may be given the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0194] According to an embodiment, the drive source 1000 may include a motor 1050 that generates rotational force. The motor rotation shaft 1051 of the motor 1050 may be parallel to the latch rotation shaft R2. The motor 1050 may be a motor capable of driving in both forward and reverse directions.

[0195] The automatic locking release unit may include a plurality of rotating gears 1060 for transmitting the rotational force generated by the motor 1050 to the pusher 600. The plurality of rotating gears 1060 may be rotated via a motor rotating shaft 1051 connected to the motor 1010.

[0196] Multiple rotating gears 1060 may include bevel gears 1070, 1080 whose respective axes of rotation intersect each other at right angles.

[0197] As described above, the direction of the rotating shaft 1051 of the motor 1050 and the arrangement direction of the motor 1050 can be selected in a variety of ways using bevel gears 1070 and 1080.

[0198] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the rotational force of the motor 1050 can also be transmitted between right-angle shafts that do not intersect each other using a worm and a worm gear.

[0199] The technical concept of the present invention described above has been illustrated through specific embodiments, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. Various embodiments that can be modified or varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the technical concept expressed in the claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: The main body includes a storage room; The interior door has an opening and is rotatable between a closed position and an open position for the storage compartment; An outer door is rotatably disposed in front of the inner door to open and close the opening of the inner door; A locking device is provided in the outer door to lock the outer door to the inner door or to unlock it from the inner door; as well as The input unit receives user input from the user for unlocking the outer department from the inner department. The locking device includes: The latch is rotatable about a latch rotation axis between a locked position that locks the outer part to the inner part and a released position that unlocks the outer part from the inner part; A lever, which can be manually operated by a user, rotates the latch from the locked position to the released position as the user applies an operating force to the lever; and The drive source, configured to apply a driving force to the latch based on the user input input to the input section, rotates the latch from the locked position to the released position by applying the driving force to the latch.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The internal parts include fixed parts. The latch includes: The latch body; and A latch hook protrudes from the latch body. The latch body and the latch hook rotate together around the latch rotation axis as the latch rotates. The fixing part and the latch hook part are configured to engage the latch hook part with the fixing part in the locked position and to release the engagement of the latch hook part with the fixing part in the released position.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The locking device includes: A latch resilient member is configured to resiliently bias the latch to the locked position.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The driving force is applied to one end of the latch body. The operating force is applied to the other end of the latch body.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The locking device includes: The pusher moves linearly along the latch rotation axis by the driving force; and The connector moves linearly between a base position and a forward position according to the linear movement of the pusher member driven by the driving force. The pusher and the connector are configured such that when the connector moves from the base position to the forward position by the linear movement of the pusher, the connector presses against the latch, thereby rotating the latch from the locked position to the released position.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, The latch includes: an inclined surface, The connector includes: a connector protrusion that presses against the inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined relative to the pressing direction of the connector protrusion so that the latch rotates from the locked position to the released position as the connector protrusion presses the inclined surface.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, When the connector is in the base position, the latch can rotate from the locked position to the released position without interference from the connector.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein, The latch includes: The avoidance part is configured to be unaffected by the connector protrusion during the process in which the connector is in the base position and the latch is rotated from the locked position to the released position by the operating force.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, The pusher and the connector can be formed separately. The locking device further includes: The connector elastic component elastically biases the connector to the base position.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, The pusher and the connector are integrated.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, The drive source includes a motor that generates rotational force. The locking device further includes a rotary gear, which is rotatable by a rotational force generated by the motor. The pushing component includes a rack that meshes with the rotating gear. The rotating gear and the rack are configured such that, as the generated rotational force causes the rotating gear to rotate, the rack moves along the axial direction of the latch rotation axis, thereby causing the pusher to move linearly.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The driving source includes: A solenoid having a plunger capable of linear movement by a magnetic force generated by a coil, and the linear movement of the plunger applying a driving force to the latch.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The locking device further includes: A connecting rod, disposed between the lever and the latch, transmits the operating force from the lever to the latch. The connecting rod is capable of rotating together with the latch about the latch rotation axis.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein, The connecting rod includes: Main body of the rod; A rod extension extends radially from the rod body; and A connecting pin, which serves as the lever engagement pin and is positioned eccentrically from the bolt rotation axis, moves and applies the operating force to the bolt when the user applies an operating force to the lever.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein, The lever is capable of rotating about a lever rotation axis perpendicular to the latch rotation axis. The lever includes: Lever axis; A lever handle, as a lever handle portion protruding from the lever shaft for user operation, and as the lever handle rotates, the lever handle and the lever shaft rotate together about the lever rotation axis; and The pin engagement, which is engaged with the connecting pin, applies an operating force to the latch by moving the connecting pin as the user applies an operating force to the lever.

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