Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Suk Bang

Hyo Sik Kang

Sang Uk Kim

Myoung W Kim

When a door of a refrigerator door is closed, there is provided a passage which remains open to communicate the interior of the refrigerator with air outside of the refrigerator for a predetermined time period in order to enable pressures inside and outside of the refrigerator to be equalized. Thus, the door can be subsequently opened more easily. Energy for closing the passage after the predetermined time period is stored by an energy storing member in response to either a door-opening movement or a door-closing movement.

Refrigerator having a pressure equilbrium apparatus

The pressure within a compartment of a refrigerator is kept equalized with ambient atmospheric air to facilitate the opening of the refrigerator door. An air passage capable of communicating the compartment with ambient air is closed when the compartment pressure is equal to the ambient air pressure, and is automatically opened when the compartment pressure become less than the ambient air pressure. The opening of the air passage is under the control of water contained in a trap portion of defrost water drain conduit of the refrigerator. The level of that trapped water fluctuates in height in response to differences in pressure between the compartment and ambient air, and the change in that height is used to open (or close) the air passage. The trapped water itself can be used to block the air passage, or a closure member floating on the water can block the air passage.

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Kyungki-do, South Korea

Suk Bang