Door assembly and refrigerator having the same

摘要

A door coupling and rotation assembly and a refrigerator having the same are provided. The refrigerator may include a main body having a storage compartment, at least one door to open and close the storage compartment, and a door coupling and rotation assembly that rotatably couples the at least one door to the main body. A door opening/closing determination device may determine whether or not a user wishes to open the door, and a controller may drive at least one motor in response a signal sensed by the door opening/closing determination device to open or close the at least one door. The assembly may include a hinge bracket coupled to the main body, a hinge shaft coupled to the hinge bracket and defining an axis of rotation of the door, and a motor coupled to the hinge shaft to rotate the at least one door in a forward or reverse direction.

主权项

1. A door assembly for a refrigerator, comprising:
a hinge bracket having a first end fixed to a main body, the main body having a storage compartment formed therein and a door rotatably coupled thereto to open and close the storage compartment; a hinge shaft fixed to a second end of the hinge bracket, the hinge shaft defining an axis of rotation of the door; a motor provided in the door and rotatably coupled to the hinge shaft so as to rotate the door in a forward direction or a reverse direction about the hinge shaft, wherein the door and the motor are rotated together relative to the hinge shaft when the motor is driven, a link which fixes the hinge shaft to the second end of the hinge bracket; and a bore extending into the link, wherein the hinge shaft is received in the bore, and wherein a cross section of the bore including at least one flat section and at least one curved section so as to correspond to a cross section of the hinge shaft such that the hinge shaft remains stationary with the link and the hinge bracket fixed to the main body as the motor rotates with the door about the hinge shaft.