Refrigerator

1 . A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet having a storage space;

a door configured to open and close the storage space;

a hinge connecting the door to the cabinet; and

a damper provided apart from the hinge, the damper being configured to provide a damping force to the door when the door rotates towards a closed position; and

an auto-closing device disposed at the door,

wherein the auto-closing device is configured to provide a closing force to the door to assist rotation of the door towards the closed position when the door is at a first preset angle or less with respect to the closed position,

wherein the hinge includes a contact surface configured to contact the damper when the door is at a second preset angle or less with respect to the closed position to transmit the damping force to the door and to be spaced from the damper when the door is at an angle greater than the second preset angle,

wherein the first preset angle is greater than the second preset angle.

2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the contact surface includes:

a first rounded portion;

a second rounded portion spaced from the first rounded portion; and

a pressing portion extending between the first rounded portion and the second rounded portion, the pressing portion being configured to increase the damping force as the door is rotated towards the closed position.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the hinge includes a hinge shaft, and

wherein a distance from the hinge shaft to the pressing portion increases from a starting point of the pressing portion to an ending point of the pressing portion in a rotation direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the contact surface further includes a starting portion configured to be brought into contact with the damper when the door is at the second preset angle, the starting portion including the first rounded portion, and

wherein a distance from the hinge shaft between a starting point of the starting portion and an ending point of the starting portion does not increase in the rotation direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the contact surface further includes a restraining portion configured to maintain contact with the damper when the door is in the closed position, the second rounded portion being located between the restraining portion and the pressing portion, and

wherein a distance from the hinge shaft to the restraining portion increases from a starting point of the restraining portion to an ending point of the restraining portion in the rotational direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein a difference in the distances between the starting point of the restraining portion and the ending point of the restraining portion from the hinge shaft is smaller than a difference in the distances between the starting point of the pressing portion and the ending point of the pressing portion from the hinge shaft.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the damper includes:

a housing having a space to accommodate oil therein;

a push member configured to be displaceable with respect to the door, the push member having a contact portion configured to contact the contact surface;

a piston configured to move within the space as the push member moves; and

an elastic member located in the space, the elastic member being configured to provide an elastic force to the piston.

8 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a hinge shaft, and

wherein the contact surface includes:

a starting portion configured to be brought into contact with the damper when the door is at the second preset angle, wherein a distance from the hinge shaft between a starting point of the starting portion and an ending point of the starting portion does not increase in a rotation direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position;

a pressing portion extending from the starting portion, the pressing portion being configured to increase the damping force as the door is rotated towards the closed position, a distance from the hinge shaft to the pressing portion increasing from a starting point of the pressing portion to an ending point of the pressing portion in a rotation direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position;

a restraining portion configured to maintain contact with the damper when the door is in the closed position; and

a holding portion located between the pressing portion and the restraining portion, the holding portion extending from the pressing portion such that distances from the hinge shaft to the holding portion between a starting point of the holding portion and an ending point of the holding portion do not increase in the rotation direction in which the door is moved towards the closed position.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the damper includes:

a housing having a space to accommodate oil therein;

a push member configured to be displaceable with respect to the door, the push member having a contact portion configured to contact the contact surface, the contact portion of the push member and the holding portion of the contact surface having corresponding shapes;

a piston configured to move within the space as the push member moves; and

an elastic member located in the space, the elastic member being configured to provide an elastic force to the piston.

10 . The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the holding portion protrudes further in a direction in which the damper is located than in a direction in which the restraining portion and the pressing portion are located.

11 . The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein a length of the starting portion is longer than a length of the holding portion.

12 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes:

a hinge bracket mounted on a front surface of the cabinet; and

a hinge plate extending in a longitudinal direction of the hinge bracket, the hinge plate including a hinge shaft rotatably coupled to the door, and

wherein the contact surface extends along a circumferential surface of the hinge plate.

13 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the damper is located opposite the circumferential surface of the hinge plate, and

wherein the damper is configured to be in contact with the hinge plate when the door rotates from the second preset angle towards the closed position and is configured to be spaced apart from the hinge plate for at least a portion of a rotation from the closed position towards the second preset angle.

14 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door includes a cap decoration defining a lower surface thereof,

wherein the hinge is rotatably coupled to the cap decoration, the contact surface being provided on the hinge, and

wherein the damper is located on the cap decoration.

15 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the cap decoration further includes a shielding portion extending past a front of the hinge and the damper and protruding downward from the cap decoration to shield at least a portion of the hinge and the damper.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a hinge shaft,

wherein the auto-closing device is disposed on a same extension line as a rotation center of the door, and

wherein the auto-closing device is coupled with the hinge shaft.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the auto-closing device includes:

a case inserted into the door;

a spring accommodated inside the case and configured to provide elastic force in a direction in which the door closes; and

a shaft coupling part coupled to the spring and the hinge shaft,

wherein the shaft coupling part is configured to rotate together with the hinge shaft when the door rotates to provide elastic force so that the door can be automatically closed.