REFRIGERATOR WITH DRAWER TYPE DOOR

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a drawer door installed at a refrigerator main body such that the drawing door is drawn out from the refrigerator main body, a main storage bin provided to be drawn out along with the drawer door, sub storage bins rotatably provide at an upper portion of the main storage bin, and a container opening unit for opening the sub storage bins toward an outer side of the refrigerator main body in a lateral direction when the drawer door is opened. When the drawer door is closed, the sub storage bins are restrained from being rotated by the refrigerator main body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Patent Application No. 10-2011-0005622, filed in Korea on Jan. 19, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Disclosure

The specification relates to a refrigerator with a drawer door.

2. Description of the Related Art

A refrigerator is a device having a refrigerating cycle device and keeps storage items, such as food items, in storage at a certain temperature.

Refrigerators may include a refrigerator main body divided into upper and lower portions to include a freezing chamber at the upper portion and a refrigerating chamber at the lower portion, and doors installed at the refrigerator main body to open and close the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber.

Recently, in side-by-side refrigerators, an internal space of a refrigerator main body is divided in an upright manner and doors are provided at the refrigerator main body. Also, side-by-side refrigerators may include an additional drawer at a lower portion of a refrigerator main body.

However, when storing food items within the drawer, it is difficult to separately store different types of food items. In particular, it is difficult to separately store food items in a vertical direction. In order to solve this problem, a partition member is provided, but the drawback to this solution is that whenever a food item located at a lower layer is taken out, the partition member must be removed or opened. Also, since an upper portion of the drawer is constantly open, cold air flows out when the drawer is drawn out.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator having a drawer door capable of easily, separately storing food items, in particular, easily storing food items in a vertical direction.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a refrigerator having a drawer door, including a drawer door installed at a refrigerator main body such that the drawer is drawn out from the refrigerator main body; a main storage bin provided to be drawn out along with the drawer door; sub storage bins rotatably positioned at an upper portion of the main storage bin; and a container-opening unit for opening the sub storage bins toward an outer side of the refrigerator main body in a lateral direction when the drawer door is opened. In addition, the sub storage bins are restrained from being rotated by the refrigerator main body when the drawer door is closed.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, when the drawer door is opened, the sub storage bins are opened, whereby food items can be easily discriminately stored. In particular, since the sub storage bins are positioned at the upper portion of the main storage bin, food items can be discriminately stored in a vertical direction, thereby effectively using the storage space. Also, since the sub storage bins are opened to an outer side of the refrigerator main body in the lateral direction, the user can access the main storage bin and the sub storage bins separately, thus enhancing user convenience. In particular, the sub storage bins are configured to be rotatable such that they do not cover the upper portion of the main storage bin, and in this case, since the upper portions of the main storage bins and the sub storage bins are all open, the user can easily store or remove food items.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which sub storage bins are rotated outwardly in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover is received in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a relationship between a main storage bin and a sub storage bin in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a partition member in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a guide face in the refrigerator main body in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view showing roller members on the sub storage bin in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a stopper on the sub storage bin in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a plane view showing a rotational guide for the sub storage bin in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

A drawer refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a refrigerator having dual (French-style) doors, including a refrigerator main body 1 having an upper storage region including a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber and having a lower compartment having a main storage bin. Doors 2 are installed at an upper portion of the refrigerator main body 1 in order to separately open and close the upper storage region. The doors 2 may be pivotally connected to both sides of the refrigerator main body 1.

A drawer door 100 is disposed at a lower compartment 10 to slide in a forward/backward direction. A handle 101 is formed on a front surface of the drawer door 100. A main storage bin 300 is detachably mounted on the drawer door 100. The interior of the main storage bin 300 forms a storage space, and a plurality of ventilation holes 320 are formed in the main storage bin 300 to allow air to circulate between the storage space and an external space.

Rails 200 are provided on a rear face portion of the drawer door 100. In detail, the rails 200 include an upper rail 210 and a lower rail 220. The main storage bin 300 is detachably mounted on the rails. Here, two rails are provided to support the main storage bin 300 and a second storage bin 305, but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto.

Meanwhile, a pair of sub storage bins 400 are operatively mounted at an upper portion of the main storage bin 300. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sub storage bins 400 can be opened or closed at the upper portion of the main storage bin 300, and when the drawer door 100 is closed, the sub storage bins 400 are stored in the refrigerator body.

When the drawer door 100 is open, the sub storage bins 400 are rotated outwardly as illustrated in FIG. 2 by a container-opening unit, to be explained more fully later.

The pair of sub storage bins 400 each includes a pair of plate members 410 disposed to be perpendicular to one another and arc-shaped plate members 420 connecting end portions of the pair of plate members 410. Each pair of sub storage bins 400 provides a storage space partitioned from the main storage bin 300 by a bottom member 430. A hinge shaft 421 is disposed where the pair of plate members 410 join one another.

Here, with reference to FIG. 5, a hinge hole 310 is formed to vertically penetrate an upper corner portion of the main storage bin 300. A torsion spring 440 is attached to the hinge shaft 421 extending from the sub storage bin 400. One end of the torsion spring 440 is fixed to the hinge shaft 421. In this state, the hinge shaft 421 is inserted in the hinge hole 310 of the main storage bin 300, and a lower end of the hinge shaft 421 penetrates the hinge hole 310. A fastening member 422 is installed at a lower end of the hinge shaft 421 to prevent the hinge shaft 421 from being separated from the hinge hole 310. The other end of the torsion spring 440 is fixed to apply a rotational force to the hinge shaft 421. A rotating angle of the sub storage bin 400 may be changed by adjusting an initial tensile force of the torsion spring 440. Instead of providing a container opening unit, the sub storage units can be rotated manually.

When external force is applied to the sub storage bins 400, the storage bins 400 rotate inwardly over the main storage bin 30. When the drawer door 100 is pushed inwardly, the pair of sub storage bins 400 are contacted by walls of the lower compartment. Thus, when the user simply closes the drawer door, the sub storage bin can be stored in the refrigerator main body.

Partition members 350 for dividing an internal space of the main storage bin 300 may be provided. The partition member 350 may have a plate-like shape, and as shown in FIG. 3, the partition members 350 are provided to partition the internal space of the main storage bin 300 in a horizontal direction. One end of each of the partition members 350 may slide horizontally along a guide bar 370 provided at one side of the main storage bin 300.

In detail, a guide hole 351 is formed at an upper end portion of the partition member 350. The guide bar 370 is installed at an inner end portion of the main storage bin 300 and supported to extend in a width direction of the main storage bin 300. The guide bar 370 is inserted into the guide hole 371. In addition, a plurality of ventilation holes 352 are formed in the partition member 350, so that air can smoothly circulate between the divided spaces of the main storage bin 300.

As shown in FIG. 6, the partition member 350 may be configured to be selectively detached to or attached from the guide bar 370.

A cutout portion 353 is formed by removing a portion of an outer circumference of the guide hole 351, and an extending hole 354 is formed along a circumferential direction of the guide hole 351 and connected to the cutout portion 353. In addition, an opening and closing member 360 is inserted into the extending hole 354 through the cutout portion 353. The opening and closing member 360 extends along the circumferential direction of the guide hole 351, includes a protrusion 361 formed at one end portion and is exposed to the outside. A spring 355 installed within the extending hole 354 elastically supports the end portion of the opening and closing member 360. By virtue of the opening and closing member 360, the partition member 350 can be easily installed on or released from the guide bar 370.

Meanwhile, a cover 500 is disposed at an upper portion of the main storage bin 300, such that the cover 500 slides at the upper portion of the main storage bin 300. With reference to FIG. 4, the cover 500 is installed in a cover sliding hole 11 provided at an upper inner portion of the lower compartment 10. The cover 500 may cover the upper portion of the main storage bin 300 or the upper portion of the sub storage bins 400, thereby minimizing cold air from being leaked from the main storage bin 300 and the sub storage bins 400.

The sub storage bin may be provided between two main storage bins, and in this case, the cover may be disposed to cover an upper portion of the uppermost main storage bin. Also as seen in FIG. 4, the rails 200 move telescopingly within guides 230.

The cover 500 may be configured as a transparent plate member. For example, the cover 500 may be made of tempered plastic or tempered glass.

One end of the cover 500 may be fixed to a rear portion of the drawer door 100. For example, a stop protrusion may be formed at a front-end portion of the cover 500 and a stop recess may be formed on a rear upper portion of the drawer door 100 such that it engages the stop protrusion. The stop protrusion and the stop recess may be fastened together to move the cover along with the drawer door 100. The coupling of the stop protrusion and the stop recess may be released by the user to access the storage bins. Also, the stop protrusion may be fastened to the stop recess when the drawer door is closed.

Inner guide recesses may be additionally formed on both inner side portions of the lower compartment 10 in order to guide a movement of the pair of sub storage bins 400. As shown in FIG. 2, in a state in which the pair of sub storage bins 400 are rotated outwardly, when the drawer door 100 is drawn into the lower compartment 10, the plate members 410 of the pair of sub storage bins 400 positioned to face the lower compartment 10 come into contact with both side walls of the lower compartment 10 so as to be folded, as shown in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 7, an outer guide face 13 may be formed at both outer ends of the lower compartment 10. When the drawer door 100 is slidably drawn into or out of the lower compartment 10, the outer guide face 13 may guide any one of the pair of plate members 410 of the sub storage bins 400 such that the pair of sub storage bins 400 can be easily rotated. The outer guide face 13 is formed as a curved face having a predetermined curvature at a front corner portion of the lower compartment 10, whereby frictional force between contact faces can be reduced and the sub storage bins 400 can be smoothly rotated.

Also, the sub storage bin 400 may be formed as shown in FIG. 8A plurality of rolling members 460 may be installed on the plate member 410 facing the inner wall of the lower compartment 10. A ball bearing, or the like, may be used as the rolling members. The rolling members 460 reduce frictional contact between the plate member 410 and the inner wall of the lower compartment to allow the drawer door to be smoothly inserted.

Also, the sub storage bin 400 may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 9. With reference to FIG. 9, a limiting member 470 may be formed on a lower end of the sub storage bin 400, namely, extending downwardly from a lower end of one of the plate members 410.

The limiting member 470 limits a rotating angle when the pair of sub storage bins 400 are rotated on the hinge shaft 421. When the sub storage bins 400 are rotated, the limiting member 470 is caught by an edge of the main storage bin 300, preventing the sub storage bins from being rotated any further.

Also, the sub storage bin 400 may be formed as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, a guide protrusion 450 may be formed at a lower end of each of the pair of sub storage bins 400 such that it is protruded downwardly along a circumferential direction of the arc-shaped plate member 420. A single guide protrusion 450 may be provided, or a plurality of guide protrusions may be provided.

A guide recess 340 may be formed on an upper surface of the main storage bin 300, with which a lower surface of each of the pair of sub storage bins 400 is substantially in contact, in order to guide the guide protrusion 450. Accordingly, the sub storage bin 400 may be stably rotated by virtue of the guide protrusion and the guide recess, without being released (or separated) from a rotation path when rotated.

As the present disclosure may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigeration main body;a drawer door installed at the refrigerator main body and configured to be drawn out from the refrigerator main body;a main storage bin configured to be drawn out along with the drawer door;at least one sub storage bin rotabably positioned at an upper portion of the main storage bin; anda container opening unit for rotating the at least one sub storage bin toward an outer side of the refrigerator main body in a lateral direction when the drawer door is opened,wherein the at least one sub storage bin is restrained from being rotated by the refrigerator main body when the drawer door is closed.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one sub storage bin comprises a pair of sub storage bins, and the pair of sub storage bins are rotated in different directions.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the container opening unit comprises a hinge shaft extending from the at least one sub storage bin inserted into the main storage bin.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the container opening unit further comprises a torsion spring installed at the hinge shaft.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein at least one side wall of each of the pair of sub storage bins has an arc shape.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a stopper extending downwardly from the at least one sub storage bin, the stopper engaging the main storage bin when the sub storage bin is rotated.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a cover positioned above the at least one sub storage bin, the cover slidably installed at the refrigerator main body.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the cover is made of a transparent material.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising at least one partition member in an internal space of the main storage bin.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the at least one partition member is slidably mounted in the internal space of the main storage bin.

11. The refrigerator of claim 9, further comprising: a rod parallel to a front edge of the main storage bin;an aperture in the at least one partition member,wherein the rod extends through the aperture so that the at least one partition member is slidable along the rod.

12. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator main body;a main storage bin slidably mounted in the refrigerator main body, the main storage bin having a front wall and two side walls;a pair of sub storage bins mounted to be rotatable with respect to the main storage bin; anda drawing unit configured to draw the main storage bin from the refrigerator main body;wherein the pair of sub storage bins rotate beyond each side of the main storage bin when the main storage bin is drawn out.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein a hinge shaft on each of the pair of sub storage bins is connected to the main storage bin.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a torsion spring connected to the hinge shaft and the main storage bin to rotate the sub storage bins.

15. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a cover positioned above the sub storage bins or an upper portion of the main storage bin, the cover slidably installed at the refrigerator main body.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the cover is made of a transparent material.

17. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the drawing unit includes a drawer door mounted in the refrigerator main body such that drawing unit is drawn out.

18. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a container opening unit applying a rotational force to the sub storage bins to rotate the sub storage bins when the drawing unit is opened.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the container opening unit comprises a torsional spring.

20. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising roller members on edges of the sub storage bins engaging the refrigerator main body.