Door opening device and refrigerator including same

1. A door opening device for an appliance that includes a cabinet and a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door opening device comprising:

a guide bracket configured to be fixed to the door;

a push rod coupled to the guide bracket and configured to move along the guide bracket and push the cabinet; and

a handle assembly rotatably coupled to the guide bracket, the handle assembly comprising:

a handle body that extends in a longitudinal direction, the handle body having a first end and a second end that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and

a handle cover that is coupled to the handle body and defines an exterior of the handle assembly, the handle cover extending along the handle body in the longitudinal direction from the first end of the handle body to the second end of the handle body,

wherein the handle cover comprises a driving arm coupled to the first end or the second end of the handle body and configured to push the push rod based on rotation of the handle assembly relative to the guide bracket.

2. The door opening device of claim 1 , wherein the handle body comprises a handlebar,

wherein the handle cover comprises a cover body that covers a front surface of the handlebar, and

wherein the driving arm extends from the cover body toward the push rod and covers a connection portion that connects the handle body and the guide bracket to each other.

3. The door opening device of claim 1 , wherein the handle cover comprises a cover body that extends in the longitudinal direction from an upper part of the cover body toward a lower part of the cover body,

wherein the driving arm extends from the upper part or the lower part of the cover body toward the push rod,

wherein a cross-sectional shape of the cover body is maintained between the upper part and the lower part of the cover body along the longitudinal direction, and

wherein the handle body covers open ends of the upper part and the lower part of the cover body.

4. The door opening device of claim 1 , wherein the driving arm is manufactured integrally with the handle cover.

5. The door opening device of claim 1 , further comprising a link block that rotatably couples the handle body to the guide bracket,

wherein the handle body and the link block are configured to rotate relative to the guide bracket.

6. The door opening device of claim 5 , wherein the push rod comprises a pressed part configured to be in contact with a surface of the link block based on the handle body being in an initial position, and

wherein the driving arm is configured to, based on the handle body being in the initial position, be in contact with the surface of the link block.

7. The door opening device of claim 5 , wherein the handle body comprises:

a handlebar that extends in the longitudinal direction; and

a link connection part that extends from the handlebar and is coupled to the link block.

8. The door opening device of claim 7 , wherein the link connection part covers at least a portion of the link block, and

wherein the handle cover is coupled to front surfaces of the handlebar and the link connection part.

9. The door opening device of claim 7 , wherein the link connection part comprises horizontal plates comprising an inner plate and an outer plate that extend from the handlebar and that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the outer plate being arranged at an outer side of the handle body relative to the inner plate in the longitudinal direction, and

wherein the outer plate covers each of an upper part of the link block and an open end part of the handle cover.

10. The door opening device of claim 7 , wherein the guide bracket comprises a bracket rotation part, at least a portion of the bracket rotation part being rotatably connected to the link block and inserted into the link block, and

wherein the link connection part is configured to receive at least a portion of each of the link block and the bracket rotation part.

11. The door opening device of claim 7 , wherein the guide bracket comprises a bracket rotation part rotatably connected to the link block by a rotating shaft, and

wherein the door opening device further comprises a return spring located at the rotating shaft and configured to apply rotational force to the link block to thereby move the link block to an initial position.

12. The door opening device of claim 7 , wherein the guide bracket comprises a bracket rotation part connected to the link block, the bracket rotation part comprising a bracket stopper that protrudes from a surface of the bracket rotation part, and

wherein the link block comprises a stopping surface configured to, based on the link block rotating to the guide bracket, interfere with the bracket stopper to thereby limit rotation of the link block.

13. The door opening device of claim 12 , wherein the link block comprises:

a rotating shaft rotatably coupled to the guide bracket; and

a stopping rib that protrudes from the link block and extends parallel to the rotating shaft, the stopping rib being configured to, based on the link block rotating to the guide bracket, interfere with the bracket rotation part to thereby limit rotation of the link block.

14. The door opening device of claim 1 , wherein the push rod comprises:

a push head configured to push the cabinet; and

a pair of guide legs that extend from the push head toward the driving arm, each of the pair of guide legs having a cantilever shape and being connected to the guide bracket, and

wherein each of the pair of guide legs comprises a pressed part located at an end part thereof and configured to be pressed by the driving arm.

15. The door opening device of claim 14 , wherein the guide bracket comprises a bracket rotation part configured to guide the push rod that moves linearly, and

wherein the push rod defines a guide groove recessed from the pressed part and engaged with the bracket rotation part.

16. A door opening device for an appliance that includes a cabinet and a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door opening device comprising:

a guide bracket configured to be fixed to the door;

a push rod coupled to the guide bracket and configured to move along the guide bracket and push the cabinet; and

a handle assembly rotatably coupled to the guide bracket, the handle assembly comprising:

a handle body, and

a handle cover that is coupled to the handle body and defines an exterior of the handle assembly, the handle cover comprising a driving arm made of metal and configured to push the push rod based on rotation of the handle assembly relative to the guide bracket,

wherein the handle body comprises an assembly jaw,

wherein the handle cover comprises an assembly hook configured to couple to the assembly jaw based on the handle body and the handle cover being assembled with each other,

wherein the assembly hook comprises:

a guide hook located at an end of the driving arm and coupled to an edge of the handle body, and

a main hook that protrudes from an inner surface of the handle cover toward the handle body and is coupled to the assembly jaw, and

wherein the guide hook and the main hook extend parallel to a longitudinal direction of the handle body.

17. The door opening device of claim 16 , wherein the main hook is configured to move toward and interfere with the assembly jaw based on the handle cover rotating about the edge of the handle body that is in contact with the guide hook.

18. The door opening device of claim 17 , further comprising a link that extends from the handle body toward the handle cover and supports the main hook.

19. The door opening device of claim 17 , wherein the assembly jaw comprises a first assembly jaw and a second assembly jaw that are spaced apart from each other,

wherein the main hook comprises a first hook and a second hook that are configured to couple to the first assembly jaw and the second assembly jaw, respectively, based on the handle cover rotating toward the handle body about the edge of the handle body that is in contact with the guide hook, and

wherein the first hook and the second hook are configured to rotate toward the handle body along paths having different radii of curvature from each other.

20. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet that defines a storage room;

a door assembly rotatably coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage room; and

a door opening device coupled to the door assembly and configured to move the door assembly away from the cabinet, the door opening device comprising:

a guide bracket fixed to the door assembly,

a push rod coupled to the guide bracket and configured to move along the guide bracket and push the cabinet, and

a handle assembly rotatably coupled to the guide bracket,

wherein the handle assembly comprises:

a handle body that extends in a longitudinal direction, the handle body having a first end and a second end that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and

a handle cover that is coupled to the handle body and defines an exterior of the handle assembly, the handle cover extending along the handle body in the longitudinal direction from the first end of the handle body to the second end of the handle body, and

wherein the handle cover comprises a driving arm coupled to the first end or the second end of the handle body and configured to push the push rod based on rotation of the handle assembly relative to the guide bracket.