IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0839052
(2007-08-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-7823755
(2010-11-22)
|
우선권정보 |
KR-10-2006-0082824(2006-08-30) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Park, Kyong Bae
- Jhee, Sung
- Cho, Nam Soo
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
A refrigerator is provided which includes a duct cap disposed so as to open and close an ice duct formed in the refrigerator, an opening and closing device connected so as to open and close the duct cap, and a damper connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device such that a clo
A refrigerator is provided which includes a duct cap disposed so as to open and close an ice duct formed in the refrigerator, an opening and closing device connected so as to open and close the duct cap, and a damper connected to one of the duct cap and the opening and closing device such that a closing operation of the duct cap is delayed. The opening and closing device allows the duct cap to be manually opened and closed, and the damper is interlocked with the opening and closing device so as to delay a closing operation of the duct cap. With this structure, cost may be reduced and noise and/or vibration minimized, compared with mechanisms with the closing operation of the duct cap delayed using electric driving parts, such as solenoids.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising: a duct cap configured to open and close an ice duct formed in the refrigerator; an opening and closing mechanism configured to open and close the duct cap; and a damper assembly connected to one of the duct cap or the openin
What is claimed is: 1. A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising: a duct cap configured to open and close an ice duct formed in the refrigerator; an opening and closing mechanism configured to open and close the duct cap; and a damper assembly connected to one of the duct cap or the opening and closing mechanism so as to delay a closing operation of the duct cap upon initiation of a closing operation, wherein the damper assembly comprises: a cylinder having a plurality of inner-diameter regions, each inner-diameter region having a different diameter; a packing holder movably installed within the cylinder, the packing holder comprising an inner holder and an outer holder; a connecting rod having a first end connected to the outer holder and a second end that is connected to the one of the duct cap or the opening and closing mechanism; and packing positioned between the inner and outer holders of the packing holder such that a first side of the packing facing the open end of the cylinder is positioned against the outer holder and a second side of the packing facing a closed end of the cylinder is positioned against the inner holder, wherein the outer holder comprises at least one insertion rib configured to be inserted into an annular recess formed in the first side of the packing so as to fix the packing in position between the inner and outer holders, wherein the packing comprises: a first section that extends from the first side thereof to an intermediate portion of the packing; and a second section that extends from the intermediate portion of the packing to the second side thereof, wherein the first section has a substantially constant diameter that is substantially equal to that of the first holder, and the second section has an inclined outer circumference such that a diameter thereof is greater than that of the second holder and extends outside of an outer circumference of the packing holder. 2. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein friction generated when the packing is moved in a first direction is different than friction generated when the packing is moved in a second direction within the cylinder that is opposite the first direction. 3. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylinder further comprises an inclined portion formed between the plurality of inner-diameter regions. 4. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner-diameter regions comprises a small-diameter region, an inner surface of which comes into frictional contact with the packing, and a large-diameter region, an inner surface of which does not come into frictional contact with the packing. 5. The duct cap assembly of claim 4, wherein the small-diameter region is close to the closed end of the cylinder, and the large-diameter region is close to the open end of the cylinder. 6. The duct cap assembly of claim 5, wherein the packing comprises: a first section that extends from the first side thereof to an intermediate portion of the packing; and a second section that extends from the intermediate portion of the packing to the second side thereof, wherein the first section has a substantially constant diameter that is substantially equal to that of the first holder, and the second section has an inclined outer circumference such that a diameter thereof is greater than that of the second holder and extends outside of an outer circumference of the packing holder, wherein the diameter of the second section is reduced as the packing approaches the closed end of the cylinder, such that when the packing is advanced toward the closed end of the cylinder, the friction with the small-diameter region is low, and when the packing is withdrawn toward the open end of the cylinder, the friction with the small-diameter region is high. 7. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner holder comprises connection portions that project therefrom, so as to be connected to the connecting rod, and the outer holder comprises a through-hole that receives the connection portions therethrough. 8. The duct cap assembly of claim 7, wherein the packing further comprises an annular recess formed in the first side thereof, between an outer circumference and an inner circumference thereof. 9. The duct cap assembly of claim 8, wherein the outer holder has at least one insertion rib configured to be inserted into the annular recess formed in the first side of the packing. 10. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the packing is formed of a rubber material. 11. The duct cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises: a lever; a rotating shaft connected to the lever so as to rotate the duct cap; and a spring elastically supporting at least one of the lever or the rotating shaft such that the duct cap is rotated to an ice duct closing position by the spring. 12. The duct cap assembly of claim 11, wherein the lever includes a shaft connection bar which is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft and a connecting member. 13. The duct cap assembly of claim 12, wherein the connecting rod is connected to both of the rotating shaft and the shaft connection bar by the connecting member. 14. The duct cap assembly of claim 11, wherein the cylinder is fixed to a support configured to be installed in the refrigerator. 15. The duct cap assembly of claim 14, further comprising: a funnel having a duct portion configured to communicate with a lower portion of the ice duct and rotatably supporting the rotating shaft and the lever, the funnel including the support. 16. A refrigerator comprising the duct cap assembly of claim 1. 17. A duct cap assembly for a refrigerator, comprising: a funnel configured to communicate with an ice duct formed in the refrigerator; a duct cap configured to open and close the ice duct; an opening and closing mechanism configured to open and close the duct cap; and a damper assembly connected to one of the duct cap or the opening and closing mechanism so as to delay a closing operation of the duct cap upon initiation of a closing operation, wherein the damper assembly comprises: a cylinder having a plurality of different inner-diameter regions; a packing holder movably installed within the cylinder, the packing holder comprising an inner holder and an outer holder; and packing positioned between the inner and outer holders of the packing holder, wherein the outer holder comprises at least one insertion rib configured to be inserted into an annular recess formed in the first side of the packing so as to fix the packing in position between the inner and outer holders. 18. The duct cap assembly of claim 17, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises: a rotating shaft connected to the duct cap so as to rotate the duct cap, the rotating shaft being rotatably supported by the funnel; a lever connected to the rotating shaft so as to rotate rotating shaft, the lever being rotatably supported by the funnel; and a spring elastically supporting at least one of the lever and the duct cap such that the duct cap is rotated to an ice duct closing position by the spring. 19. The duct cap assembly of claim 17, wherein the cylinder is installed in the funnel, and wherein the damper assembly further comprises a connecting rod connected to the packing holder and the one of the duct cap or the opening and closing mechanism. 20. The duct cap assembly of claim 19, wherein the packing has an inclined portion, wherein an outer diameter is reduced as the packing approaches one end of the cylinder such that when the packing is advanced toward the one end of the cylinder, friction with the cylinder is low, and when the packing is withdrawn toward the other end of the cylinder, friction with the cylinder is high. 21. The duct cap assembly of claim 20, wherein the plurality of different inner-diameter regions of the cylinder comprise a small-diameter region, an inner surface of which comes into frictional contact with the packing and a large-diameter region, an inner surface of which does not come in frictional contact with the packing. 22. The duct cap assembly of claim 21, wherein friction generated when the packing is moved in one direction within the small-diameter region is different from friction created when the packing is moved in an opposite direction within the small-diameter region. 23. A refrigerator comprising the duct cap assembly of claim 17. 24. The duct cap assembly of claim 17, wherein an outer diameter of the packing is variable such that at least a portion of an outer circumferential edge of the packing extends out beyond an outer circumferential edge of the packing holder so as to contact a corresponding portion of an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder.
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