IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,506,026
Granted Patent B2
US 8,506,026 · App. 12/457,594 · Granted Aug 13, 2013

Refrigerator with step adjustment device

Inventors: Ki Youn Kim (Buk-gu, KR); Man Soon Im (Gwangsan-gu, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,506,026
App. No.
12/457,594
Granted
Aug 13, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator capable of adjusting a step difference of a refrigerator door. The refrigerator includes a body, a door opening/closing the body, a hinge member having a hinge shaft to be coupled with the door, a mounting member fixed to the body to receive the hinge member, and an adjusting unit coupled with the hinge member to adjust a step difference of the door by moving the hinge member.

Claims (29)

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body to store foodstuffs to be cooled;

a door opening/closing the body;

a hinge member having a hinge shaft configured to be coupled with the door;

a mounting member fixed to the body receiving the hinge member, the mounting member including a first fixing section bent upward from one edge of the mounting member and a second fixing section bent upward from a rear edge of the mounting member, and the hinge member including a first bending section formed corresponding to a portion of the first fixing section, the first bending section including a first coupling section, and a second bending section corresponding to the second fixing section; and an adjusting unit coupled with the hinge member adjusting a step difference of the door by moving the hinge member, the adjusting unit including a first adjusting screw configured to move the hinge member in a first direction, the first adjusting screw including a screw head section, a fixed washer section spaced apart from the screw head section, a space section formed between the screw head section and the fixed washer section to be coupled with the first coupling section, and a thread section extending from the fixed washer section to an end of the first adjusting screw opposite the screw head section, the adjusting unit further including a second adjusting screw configured to move the hinge member in a second direction,

wherein the refrigerator further comprises a washer member interposed between the second fixing section and the second bending section so that the second adjusting screw is rotatable at an original position thereof, the second adjusting screw including a washer fitting slot coupled with the washer member, and

wherein the first coupling section is formed as a slot in the first bending section.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first adjusting screw couples the first bending section with the first fixing section, and, when the first adjusting screw is rotated, the hinge member moves in a first direction so that the door moves in the first direction by the hinge member.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second adjusting screw couples the second bending section with the second fixing section, and, when the second adjusting screw is rotated, the hinge member rotates in the second direction so that the door rotates in the second direction by the hinge member.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second bending section includes a second coupling section such that the second coupling section is coupled with a thread section of the second adjusting screw.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a fixing member coupled with the mounting member, the fixing member closely fixing the hinge member onto the body.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the fixing member includes a coupling shaft rotatably coupled with the mounting member, a pressing section pressing and fixing the hinge member according to a rotation of the coupling shaft, and a grip section extending from the pressing section in a longitudinal direction and configured to rotate in order to cause the pressing section to fix the hinge member to the mounting member.

7. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body to store foodstuffs to be cooled;

a door opening/closing the body;

a mounting member fixed to the body, the mounting member including a first fixing section bent upward from one edge of the mounting member and a second fixing section bent upward from a rear edge of the mounting member;

a hinge member coupled with the door and the mounting member, the hinge member including a first bending section formed corresponding to a portion of the first fixing section, the first bending section including a first coupling section, and a second bending section corresponding to the second fixing section;

a fixing member rotatably coupled with the mounting member such that the hinge member is fixed to the body; and

an adjusting unit adjusting a step difference of the door by moving the hinge member, the adjusting unit including a first adjusting screw configured to move the hinge member in a first direction, the first adjusting screw including a screw head section, a fixed washer section spaced apart from the screw head section, a space section formed between the screw head section and the fixed washer section to be coupled with the first coupling section, and a thread section extending from the fixed washer section to an end of the first adjusting screw opposite the screw head section, the adjusting unit further including a second adjusting screw configured to move the hinge member in a second direction,

wherein the refrigerator further comprises a washer member interposed between the second fixing section and the second bending section so that the second adjusting screw is rotatable at an original position thereof, the second adjusting screw including a washer fitting slot coupled with the washer member, and

wherein the first coupling section is formed as a slot in the first bending section.

8. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body to store foodstuffs to be cooled;

a door opening/closing the body;

a mounting member fixed to the body, the mounting member including a first fixing section bent upward from one edge of the mounting member and a second fixing section bent upward from a rear edge of the mounting member;

a hinge member fixed to the body and coupling the door and the body, the hinge member configured to be moved in at least a first direction, and the hinge member including a first bending section formed corresponding to a portion of the first fixing section, the first bending section including a first coupling section, and a second bending section corresponding to the second fixing section; and

an adjusting unit adjusting a step difference of the door by moving the hinge member, the adjusting unit including a first adjusting screw configured to move the hinge member in a first direction, the first adjusting screw including a screw head section, a fixed washer section spaced apart from the screw head section, a space section formed between the screw head section and the fixed washer section to be coupled with the first coupling section, and a thread section extending from the fixed washer section to an end of the first adjusting screw opposite the screw head section, the adjusting unit further including a second adjusting screw, the rotation of which causes the hinge member to move in the second direction,

wherein the refrigerator further comprises a washer member interposed between the second fixing section and the second bending section so that the second adjusting screw is rotatable at an original position thereof, the second adjusting screw including a washer fitting slot coupled with the washer member, and

wherein the first coupling section is formed as a slot in the first bending section.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2009
From: KIM, KI YOUN; IM, MAN SOON
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022880/0131 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2008-0078272 · Aug 11, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100033067A1 · Feb 11, 2010