US 11,751,294 B2
Door opening speed controller and automatic opening structure for an appliance
Jangmo Shin, Seoul (KR); Jeongkil Kim, Seoul (KR); Myeong Jun Shin, Seoul (KR); Seongho Jeong, Seoul (KR); and Sangki Lee, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/397,070.
Application 17/397,070 is a continuation of application No. 16/366,594, filed on Mar. 27, 2019, granted, now 11,116,049.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0035257 (KR), filed on Mar. 27, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0038379 (KR), filed on Apr. 2, 2018; and application No. 10-2018-0042414 (KR), filed on Apr. 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0368592 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. E05B 15/02 (2006.01); E05F 1/12 (2006.01); E05F 3/02 (2006.01); E05F 3/18 (2006.01); E05F 3/20 (2006.01); E05F 3/22 (2006.01); F24C 15/02 (2006.01); H05B 6/64 (2006.01); E05B 15/16 (2006.01); E05B 47/00 (2006.01); E05C 19/12 (2006.01)
CPC H05B 6/6417 (2013.01) [E05B 15/022 (2013.01); E05B 15/1635 (2013.01); E05B 47/0012 (2013.01); E05B 47/0046 (2013.01); E05C 19/12 (2013.01); E05F 1/1261 (2013.01); E05F 1/1276 (2013.01); E05F 3/02 (2013.01); E05F 3/18 (2013.01); E05F 3/20 (2013.01); E05F 3/224 (2013.01); F24C 15/022 (2013.01); H05B 6/6414 (2013.01); E05B 2047/0068 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/21 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/254 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/264 (2013.01); E05Y 2800/26 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/302 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/308 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A home appliance, comprising:
a main body;
a door that opens and closes an open front of the main body;
a first and second hinge module, each having a first and second rotational axis member respectively serving as a center of rotation for opening and closing movements of the door and swivably connecting the door to the main body;
a first damper installed in the first hinge module, having a first piston and a first cylinder and providing damping force according to a relative movement of the first piston and the first cylinder; and
a second damper installed in the second hinge module, having a second piston and a second cylinder and providing damping force according to a relative movement of the second piston and the second cylinder,
wherein the first damper starts damping when an opening angle of the door is at a first damping start angle and the second damper starts damping when an opening angle of the door is at a second damping start angle greater than the first damping start angle, so as to control an opening speed of the door,
wherein one of the first piston and the first cylinder moves along the lengthwise direction of the first hinge module as the door opens, and the other of the first piston and the first cylinder moves along the lengthwise direction of the first hinge module by a first predetermined distance and then is interfered by the first hinge module so as not to move further along the lengthwise direction of the first hinge module as the door opens, and
wherein one of the second piston and the second cylinder moves along the lengthwise direction of the second hinge module as the door opens, and the other of the second piston and the second cylinder moves along the lengthwise direction of the second hinge module by a second predetermined distance and then is interfered by the second hinge module so as not to move further along the lengthwise direction of the second hinge module as the door opens,
wherein the first hinge module comprises:
a first housing and a first bar swivably connected to the first housing around the first rotational axis member, one of the first housing and the first bar is fixed at the main body and the other thereof is fixed at the door; and
a first inner link housing swivably connected to the first bar through a first bar connecting hinge and guided by the first housing so as to move along a lengthwise direction of the first housing,
wherein the second hinge module comprises:
a second housing and a second bar swivably connected to the second housing around the second rotational axis member, one of the second housing and the second bar is fixed at the main body and the other thereof is fixed at the door; and
a second inner link housing swivably connected to the second bar through a second bar connecting hinge and guided by the second housing so as to move along a lengthwise direction of the second housing,
wherein the first bar connecting hinge is spaced apart from the first rotational axis member by a first distance, and the second bar connecting hinge is spaced apart from the second rotational axis member by a second distance,
wherein the first and second inner link housing moves along the lengthwise direction of the first and second housing respectively as the door opens,
one of the first piston and the first cylinder moves with the first inner link housing, and the other of the first piston and the first cylinder moves with the first inner link housing by the first predetermined distance and then is interfered by the first housing so as not to move further even though the first inner link housing keeps moving, and
one of the second piston and the second cylinder moves with the second inner link housing, and the other of the second piston and the second cylinder moves with the second inner link housing by the second predetermined distance and then is interfered by the second housing so as not to move further even though the second inner link housing keeps moving,
wherein the first distance is longer that the second distance.