REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A refrigerator comprising a storage compartment; a door that opens and closes the storage compartment; and a sealing box comprising a storage container that stores food therein, and a case that accommodates the storage container. The sealing box comprises a sealing member provided between the storage container and the case so as to seal the interior of the storage container, and a vacuum device that lowers an internal pressure of the storage container by suctioning the air inside the storage container, and the storage container comprises a vacuum part having a volume which changes according to the internal pressure of the storage container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a refrigerator including a storage container for storing food, and more particularly, to a refrigerator including a storage container in which the volume inside the storage container changes when the storage container is subjected to a vacuum.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a refrigerator, an appliance for keeping food fresh, includes a storage compartment and a cold air supply device for supplying cold air to the storage compartment.

The storage compartment is maintained at a temperature within a certain range required to keep food fresh.

The storage compartment of such a refrigerator is arranged to have an open front, and the open front is closed by a door to maintain the temperature of the storage compartment at normal times.

In addition, the storage compartment is provided with a plurality of storage containers which may hermetically store food, or the like in an inner space thereof in such a manner that they may be inserted or removed.

In order to prevent oxidation of food stored in the internal space of the storage containers and to maintain freshness, a sealing member may be arranged to seal the interior of the storage container.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including an airtight box having a structure capable of sealing a storage container.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including an airtight box that creates a vacuum inside a storage container.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including an airtight box capable of reducing volume as an interior of the storage container is vacuumed.

Technical tasks to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical tasks mentioned above, and other technical tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

Technical Solution

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a storage compartment, a door configured to open or close the storage compartment, and an airtight box including a storage container to store food therein and a case to receive the storage container. The airtight box may include a sealing member to be provided between the storage container and the case so that while the sealing member is provided between the storage container and the case, the sealing member is configured to seal an interior of the storage container. The airtight box may include a vacuum device configured to draw in air from the interior of the storage container to lower an internal pressure of the storage container. The storage container may include a vacuum portion having a volume of which is changeable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container.

The vacuum portion may include a diaphragm deformable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container.

The diaphragm may be a first diaphragm configured to receive the food. The diaphragm may include a second diaphragm configured to cover an upper portion of the first diaphragm. The food may be stored between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm.

The vacuum portion may include a check valve connected to the vacuum device to maintain an internal pressure of the vacuum device.

A real wall of the storage container may include a rear coupling groove. The check valve may be connected to the vacuum device through the rear coupling groove.

The storage container may include an edge portion surrounding an upper opening. The sealing member may include a first sealing member on the edge portion, and a second sealing member on the case to seal the storage container.

The first diaphragm may be fitted and coupled between the first sealing member and the edge portion, and the second diaphragm may be fitted and coupled between the second sealing member and an inner upper surface of the case.

The storage container may include a rail configured to be inserted into and removed from the case. The case may include a guide rail configured to correspond to the rail to guide the rail. A rear end of the rail may be higher than a front end of the rail to allow the storage container to rise in response to insertion of the storage container into the case.

The storage container may include a front panel formed to cover a front opening of the case. The front panel may include a handle. The vacuum portion may include a check valve configured to be opened by the handle.

The storage container may include an interlocking pin configured to press the check valve in response to rotation of the handle.

The airtight box may further include an inflatable member attached to an inner upper surface of the case to allow the volume to increase in response to operation of the vacuum device.

The vacuum device may be arranged on an outside of the case to draw in air from inside the case. The storage container may include a ventilation hole formed to communicate with the interior of the case to allow the vacuum device to draw in air from inside the storage container.

The case may include a front opening for entry and exit of the storage container. The case may include a flange around the front opening. The storage container may include a front panel formed to cover the front opening of the case. The sealing member may be arranged on the flange to seal the airtight box.

The front panel of the storage container may include a rotatable handle. The front panel of the storage container may include an air passage configured to communicate an outside with the vacuum portion. The front panel of the storage container may include an opening/closing device coupled with the handle to open or close the air passage.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a storage compartment, a door configured to open or close the storage compartment, and an airtight box including a storage container storable food therein and a case enabled to receive the storage container. The airtight box may include a first sealing member on an edge portion of the storage container. The airtight box may include a second sealing member on the case to seal the storage container. The airtight box may include a vacuum device configured to lower an internal pressure of the storage container. The airtight box may include a vacuum portion having a volume which is changeable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container, the vacuum portion including a vinyl diaphragm.

The storage container may include a rotatable handle on the front panel thereof. The vacuum portion may include a first check valve configured to maintain the pressure lowered by the vacuum device. The vacuum portion may include a second check valve configured to release a hermetically sealed state by an interlocking pin pressed by the handle.

The storage container may include rails arranged in pairs on the left and right sides of the storage container for being inserted into and removed from the case. The case may include guide rails configured to correspond to the rails to guide the rails. A rear end of the rail may be higher than a front end of the rail to allow the storage container to rise in response to insertion of the storage container into the case.

The diaphragm may be fitted and coupled between the second sealing member and the edge portion.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a storage compartment, a door configured to open or close the storage compartment, and an airtight box including a storage container storable food therein and a case enabled to receive the storage container. The airtight box may include a sealing member between the storage container and the case to hermetically seal an interior of the storage container. The airtight box may include a vacuum device configured to discharge air from inside the storage container to an outside. The airtight box may include a vacuum portion, the volume of which is changeable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container, the vacuum portion including a vinyl diaphragm. The storage container may include a front panel formed to cover a front opening of the case. The front panel of the storage container may include a rotatable handle. The front panel of the storage container may include an air passage configured to communicate an exterior with an interior of the storage container.

The front panel may include an opening/closing device interlocking with the handle to open or close the air passage.

Advantageous Effects

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a vacuum may be created within the storage container in response to the storage container being received in the case.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the storage container may be configured to rise by inclined rails as the storage container is inserted further into the case, thereby increasing the airtightness.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, in response to the storage container being subjected to a vacuum, the amount of oxygen inside is reduced due to a decrease in the internal volume, thereby preventing oxidation of the food and allowing the food to be stored for a longer period of time.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the check valve of the storage container may be interlocked with the handle so that the internal airtightness may be released upon opening of the storage container.

The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be apparent to those of skilled in the art from the following description.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator with an open door, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side section view illustrating an internal structure of the refrigerator according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a storage container according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating a configuration of an airtight box of FIG. 3, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a side of the airtight box of FIG. 3, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the interior of portion A of FIG. 5, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the interior of portion B of FIG. 5, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view of the interior of the airtight box in a pre-vacuum state in the airtight box according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view of the interior of the airtight box in a post-vacuum state in the airtight box according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an airtight box, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view illustrating a configuration of the airtight box of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a handle interlocking structure of the airtight box of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a view of the interior of the airtight box in a pre-vacuum state, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a view of the interior of the airtight box in a post-vacuum state, according to an embodiment.

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described in the disclosure and configurations shown in the drawings are merely examples of the embodiments of the disclosure and may be modified in various different ways at the time of filing of the present application to replace the embodiments and drawings of the disclosure.

In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

Also, the terms used herein are used to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or restrict the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this disclosure, the terms “including”, “having”, and the like are used to specify features, figures, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, figures, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “primary”, “secondary”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, but elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, a first element may be termed as a second element, and a second element may be termed as a first element. The term of “and/or” includes a plurality of combinations of relevant items or any one item among a plurality of relevant items.

As used herein, the terms “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, and the like are defined with reference to the drawings and are not intended to limit the shape and location of each component.

The directions of front, rear, upper, lower, left, and right will be referred to uniformly throughout the specification with reference to the directions shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis direction perpendicular to each other, wherein the X-axis direction refers to a front-to-back direction of a refrigerator, the Y-axis direction refers to a left-to-right direction of the refrigerator, and the Z-axis direction refers to an up-and-down direction of the refrigerator.

The terms ‘vacuum’ and ‘vacuum state’ as used herein may refer to a state in which no matter exists, strictly speaking, but may be defined as a state in which the pressure of air is less than atmospheric pressure.

Accordingly, the terms ‘vacuum’ and ‘vacuum state’ as used herein may not refer to a state in which no matter is present, but rather to a state in which the pressure of air is less than atmospheric pressure.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a refrigerator with a door open. FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator 1 may include a main body 10 having a storage compartment 11, a door 20 arranged to open or close the storage compartment 11, and a cold air supply device (not shown) configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment 11.

The main body 10 may include an inner case 12 forming the storage compartment 11, an outer case 13 coupled to an outer side of the inner case 12, and an insulation 14 arranged between the inner case 12 and the outer case 13. The inner case 12 may be formed from a plastic material, and the outer case 13 may be formed from a metallic material.

The main body 10 may have an intermediate wall 17 that divides the storage compartment 11 into a refrigerating compartment 15 and a freezing compartment 16.

The storage compartment 11 may be used as the refrigerating compartment 15, which is maintained at about 0 to 5 degrees Celsius to keep food items refrigerating, and the freezing compartment 16, which is maintained at about −30 to 0 degrees Celsius to keep food items frozen.

The refrigerating compartment 15 may be opened or closed by a refrigerating compartment door 21, and the freezing compartment 16 may be opened or closed by a freezing compartment door 22.

The refrigerating compartment 15 may be provided with an airtight box 100 configured to keep vegetables or the like fresh. The airtight boxes 100 may be provided in a plurality. The airtight box 100 may include a storage container 200 configured to store food and a case 300 configured to receive the storage container 200.

The airtight box 100 may be positioned on a lower side of the refrigerating compartment 15. The storage container 200 may be slidably inserted into and removed from the case 300. The storage container 200 may be provided with a storage space 220 for storing food items.

The storage container 200 may include a handle 211 arranged for a user to grasp upon removal. The handle 211 may be arranged to be movable. The handle 211 may be provided on a front panel 210 of the storage container 200. The handle 211 may be arranged to be rotatable up and down or left to right about a rotation shaft 212 (see FIG. 4). In the present drawings, a handle arranged to be rotatable up and down is shown as an example.

The refrigerator 1 may include a controller (not shown). The controller (not shown) may identify that the door is in a closed state by a sensor (not shown) located on the door 20. The controller may operate a vacuum device 500 (e.g., vacuumer, see FIG. 7) in response to identifying that the door is in the closed state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the storage container of the refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a configuration of the airtight box of the refrigerator according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the airtight box 100 may include the storage container 200 in which food items are stored, the case 300 receiving the storage container 200, a sealing member 400 enabled to seal a gap between the storage container 200 and the case 300, and the vacuum device 500 connected to the storage container 200. The vacuum device 500 may be accommodated in a vacuum box 502.

The storage container 200 may be provided with the storage space 220 (see FIG. 2) enabled to store food. The storage space 220 may be formed in an approximately hexahedral shape. The storage space 220 may be formed by the front panel 210, a rear wall 221, left and right side walls 222 and 223, and a lower wall 224 of the storage container 200. The storage space 220 may be located inside the case 300 when the storage container 200 is accommodated in the case 300.

The storage container 200 may include a vacuum portion 600 (see FIG. 8), the volume of which may vary depending on the internal pressure of the storage container 200. The vacuum portion 600 may include a diaphragm 610 that deforms in response to the internal pressure of the storage container 200. Food items may be stored in the vacuum portion 600. Food items stored in the vacuum portion 600 may be prevented from oxidizing as the amount of oxygen within the vacuum portion 600 decreases in response to the vacuum portion 600 being in a vacuum state.

The diaphragm 610 may be made of rubber or vinyl. Any material capable of expanding and contracting may be used as the diaphragm 610.

The diaphragm 610 may include a first diaphragm 611 configured to receive food items, and a second diaphragm 612 arranged on an upper portion of the first diaphragm 611 and configured to cover the first diaphragm 611. Food items may be stored between the first diaphragm 611 and the second diaphragm 612.

The storage container 200 may include a rear coupling groove 227 (see FIG. 7). The storage container 200 may have the rear coupling groove formed on the rear wall 221.

The vacuum portion 600 may include a check valve 622 to maintain an internal pressure of the vacuum portion 600. The check valve 622 may be connected to a vacuum device. The check valve 622 may be formed in the diaphragm 610 of the vacuum portion 600. The check valve 622 may be formed in the first diaphragm 611 of the vacuum portion 600. The check valve 622 may be formed on a rear side of the first diaphragm 611.

The vacuum portion 600 may include a check valve 621 to release a hermetic condition within the vacuum portion 600. The check valve 621 (see FIG. 6) may be formed in the diaphragm 610 of the vacuum portion 600. The check valve 621 may be formed in the first diaphragm 611. The check valve 621 may be formed in a front side of the first diaphragm 611.

The case 300 may be provided with a front opening 315a to allow the storage container 200 to enter and exit an interior of the case 300. The front side of the storage container 200 may include the front panel 210 to cover the front opening 315a.

The front panel 210 may include the handle 211 to allow a user to insert and withdraw the storage container 200. The front panel 210 may include a handle recess 213 to receive the handle 211. The handle may be rotatably arranged on the front panel 210.

The storage container 200 may include a rail 230 arranged to allow the storage container 200 to be inserted into and removed from the case. The rail may be arranged on the outside of the left and right side walls 222 and 223 of the storage container 200. The rails 230 may be provided in pairs. The rails 230 are shown as being provided on the left and right sides of the storage container 200, respectively, but the positions of the rails are not limited thereto.

The rails 230 may be formed to be inclined upwardly toward the rear. The rails 230 may be formed with a rear end 232 higher than a front end 231. Wheels 233 may be formed on the rails 230 to facilitate the insertion and removal of the storage container.

The storage container 200 may include an upper opening 225 for storing and removing food items. The storage container 200 may include an edge portion 226 surrounding the upper opening 225. A sealing member 401 may be attached to the edge portion 226.

The case 300 may include a sealing member 402. The case 300 may include the sealing member 402 on an inner upper surface 301. The sealing member 402 may be formed to correspond to the sealing member 402 attached to the edge portion 226 of the storage container 200.

The sealing member 400 may include the first sealing member 401 provided on the edge portion 226 and the second sealing member 402 provided on the inner upper surface 301 of the case 300. In response to insertion of the storage container 200 into the case 300, the first sealing member 401 and the second sealing member 402 may be arranged to be airtight. The storage container 200 may hermetically seal the airtight box 100 together with the first sealing member 401 and the second sealing member 402.

The vacuum device 500 may be connected to the storage container 200. The vacuum device 500 may draw in air from an inside of the storage container 200 and discharge the drawn-in air to the outside. In a state where the storage container 200 is sealed by the sealing member 400, the inside of the storage container 200 may be vacuumed by the vacuum device 500. The vacuum device 500 may be arranged within the case 300.

The case 300 may include a guide rail 320. The guide rail 320 may be provided on the left and right inner walls 322 and 323 of the case 300. The guide rail 320 may be provided at a position corresponding to the rails 230 so as to guide the movement of the rails 230 of the storage container 200.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the airtight box.

Referring to FIG. 5, the storage container 200 may include the front panel 210 at the front. The front panel 210 may be formed higher than the edge portion 226 so as to cover the front opening 315a (see FIG. 4) of the case 300.

The storage container 200 may include the rails 230 on the outside of the left and right side walls 222 and 223. The rail 230 may be formed to be inclined such that the rear end 232 of the rail is higher than the front end 231 of the rail 230 to allow the storage container 200 to rise in response to insertion of the storage container 200 into the case 300. The wheels 233 may be formed on the respective rails 230 so as to facilitate the insertion and removal of the storage container.

Since the rail 230 is formed to be inclined, the more the storage container 200 is inserted into the case 300, the more the storage container 200 may be allowed to rise, thereby improving the airtightness of the sealing member 400.

The storage container 200 may include the vacuum box 502 at the rear. The vacuum box 502 may include the vacuum device 500 (see FIG. 7). The vacuum box 502 may be in communication with the outside.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of a handle interlocking structure of portion A of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 6, the movable handle 211 may be arranged on the front panel 210 of the storage container. The handle 211 may be received in the handle recess 213. The front panel 210 may include the rotation shaft 212 therein. The handle 211 may be rotatably arranged about the rotation shaft 212.

The front panel 210 may include a front coupling groove 214 for the storage container 200 to communicate with the outside. The front panel 210 may include the front coupling groove 214 for a check valve 621 to be coupled. By being coupled to the front coupling groove 214, the check valve 621 may remain fixedly positioned despite frequent deformation of the diaphragm 610.

The front panel 210 may include an interlocking pin 215 therein. The interlocking pin 215 may press the check valve 621 when the handle 211 is lifted by the user. In response to the interlocking pin 215 pressing the check valve 621, the airtight state may be released, and thus the internal pressure of the storage container 200, which was in a vacuum state, may become equal to the atmospheric pressure.

A protrusion 211b may be formed on a connecting portion 211a of the handle 211. The interlocking pin 215 may include a catch groove 215a. The protrusion 211b of the handle 211 may be inserted into the catch groove 215a of the interlocking pin 215. In response to the lifting of the handle 211, the interlocking pin 215 including the catch groove 215a into which the protrusion 211b is inserted may move rearwardly to press the check valve 621 coupled to the front coupling groove 214.

As such, the user may lift the handle 211 to open the storage container 200, thereby releasing the vacuum condition within the storage container 200.

The interlocking structure of the handle 211 and the interlocking pin 215 is not limited thereto, and may be implemented in a variety of other ways.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a vacuum device connection structure of portion B of FIG. 5. The vacuum device 500 may be accommodated by the vacuum box 502. The vacuum device 500 may be arranged on the outside of the rear wall 221 of the storage container 200.

The vacuum device 500 may include a hose 501. The hose 501 may be connected to the interior of the storage container 200 through the rear wall 221 of the storage container 200. The hose 501 may be connected to the rear coupling groove 227 of the storage container 200.

The vacuum device 500 may be connected to the check valve 622 of the vacuum portion 600 through the rear coupling groove 227. The vacuum device 500 may be connected directly to the check valve 622 coupled to the rear coupling groove 227. By being coupled to the rear coupling groove 227, the check valve 622 may remain fixedly positioned despite frequent deformation of the diaphragm 610.

The check valve 622 may maintain the vacuum state by preventing any air remaining inside from escaping to the outside after the vacuum portion 600 is in the vacuum state by operation of the vacuum device 500.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the interior of the airtight box in a pre-vacuum state. FIG. 9 is a view showing the interior of the airtight box in a post-vacuum state.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the diaphragm 610 of the vacuum portion 600 may be fitted and coupled to the sealing member 400. The first diaphragm 611 may be tightly fitted between the first sealing member 401 attached to the edge portion 226 and the edge portion 226. The second diaphragm 612 may be tightly fitted into the second sealing member 402 attached to the inner upper surface 301 of the case 300 and the inner upper surface 301 of the case 300. As a result, the airtightness of the vacuum portion 600 may be improved. The space for receiving food items formed by the first diaphragm 611 and the second diaphragm 612 may be completely sealed by the sealing members 401 and 402.

The diaphragm 610 may be provided with the check valve 621 on the front panel 210 side of the storage container. The check valve 621 may be coupled to the front coupling groove 214 (see FIG. 6) of the front panel 210.

The diaphragm 610 may include the check valve 622 on the rear wall 221 side of the storage container 200. The check valve 622 may be coupled to the rear coupling groove 227 of the rear wall 221 of the storage container 200. The check valve 622 may be connected to the vacuum device 500 through the rear coupling groove 227 (see FIG. 7).

Before the interior of the airtight box 100 is in the vacuum state, the diaphragm 610 of the vacuum portion 600 may remain in its original state. After the vacuum is created by the operation of the vacuum device 500, the vacuum portion 600 may allow the internal air to be discharged to the outside, causing the internal pressure to decrease, and accordingly, the volume of the vacuum portion 600 may decrease.

A typical airtight box made of plastic material may not decrease in volume even when the internal pressure decreases. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum portion 600 may include the deformable diaphragm 610 that allows its volume to change, so that the volume decreases as the internal pressure decreases.

The following [Table 1] compares the internal absolute oxygen capacity of a conventional airtight box with that of a space-variable airtight box, after setting their interiors are set to have the same vacuum level.

	TABLE 1
	conventional airtight	space-variable airtight
	box	box
Internal vacuum level	500 mmHg (1 atmosphere = 760 mmHg)
Internal volume	25 L	25 L
(pre-vacuum)
Internal volume	25 L	10 L
(post-vacuum)
Internal absolute	3.45 L	1.38 L
oxygen capacity
Vacuum device	Rate of flow: >2.8 L/min
performance	Max Pressure: >600 mmHg
	Vacuum: >400 mmHg

While the conventional airtight box may not change its internal volume after being in the vacuum state, the space-variable airtight box may have a smaller internal volume after being in the vacuum state compared to the conventional airtight box, so that the space-variable airtight box may also have a smaller internal absolute oxygen capacity. Since food spoilage is caused by food reacting with oxygen in the air and oxidizing, the smaller the internal absolute oxygen capacity, the fresher the food may be stored. FIG. 10 is a view showing an airtight box of the refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is an exploded view showing a configuration of the airtight box of the refrigerator according to an embodiment.

With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, an airtight box of the refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. For configurations identical to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the same reference numerals are given and further description thereof may be omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the airtight box 100 may include the vacuum device 500 arranged on the outside of the case 300. The vacuum device 500 may draw in air from the inside of the airtight box 100 and discharge the drawn-in air to the outside. The case 300 may include an inflatable member 700 that change its volume in response to the pressure inside a storage container 800.

The inflatable member 700 may be in a deflated state before it becomes a vacuum state, that is, under atmospheric pressure. When the vacuum device 500 operates to discharge the air inside the airtight box 100, the inflatable member 700 may increase in volume as the pressure inside the airtight box 100 becomes lower than the atmospheric pressure. The inflatable member 700 may be made of rubber or vinyl. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any material capable of expanding and contracting may form the inflatable member 700.

The inflatable member 700 may be attached to the inner upper surface 301 of the case 300. However, the position of the inflatable member 700 is not limited thereto.

The airtight box 100 may include the vacuum portion 600 inside the storage container 800. The vacuum portion 600 may be an inner space enclosed by the storage container 800 and the case 300, excluding the inflatable member 700. The vacuum portion 600 may change in volume as the inflatable member 700 attached to the case 300 expands or contracts. As the volume of the inflatable member 700 increases, the volume of the vacuum portion 600 may decrease, and as the volume of the inflatable member 700 decreases, the volume of the vacuum portion 600 may increase. Food items may be stored in the vacuum portion 600.

The case 300 may have the front opening 315a formed for entry and exit of the storage container 800. A flange 315 may be formed around the front opening 315a. The flange 315 may be provided with the sealing member 400 for hermetically sealing the airtight box 100. In response to insertion of the storage container 800 into the case 300, the interior of the case 300 may be hermetically sealed by the sealing member 400.

The storage container 800 may include a ventilation hole 828. The ventilation hole 828 may be formed on a rear wall 821 of the storage container 800. The ventilation holes 828 may be provided in a plurality. As the vacuum device 500 operates, air inside the storage container 800 may be drawn into the vacuum device 500 through the ventilation holes 828 and discharged to the outside.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a handle interlocking structure of the airtight box shown in FIG. 10.

Referring to FIG. 12, a front panel 810 may include an air passage 817 that communicate the interior of the storage container 800 with the outside. The air passage 817 may be opened or closed by an opening/closing device 816. The opening/closing device 816 may open the air passage 817 in response to the lifting of a handle 811, and close the air passage 817 in response to the lowering of the handle 811.

The air passage 817 may be arranged on an upper side of a rotating portion 811a of the handle 811. The air passage 817 may be arranged on the upper side of the rotating portion 811a of each of the two handles. The opening/closing devices 816 may be provided corresponding to the number of air passages 817.

The opening/closing device 816 may include a groove 816a. A protrusion 811b formed on a connecting portion 811a of the handle 811 may be inserted into the groove 816a of the opening/closing device 816. When the user lifts the handle 811 to remove from the storage container 800 by the connection structure of the protrusion 811b formed on the connection portion 811a of the handle 811 and the groove of the opening/closing device 816, the air passage 817 may be opened to release the vacuum inside the storage container 800 and then the storage container 800 may be opened.

When the user lowers the handle 811 to insert the storage container 800, the air passage 817 may be closed by the opening/closing device 816, such that the interior may be hermetically sealed, and after the storage container 800 is retracted, the vacuum machine 500 may operate to create a vacuum inside the storage container 800.

As such, the user may release the vacuum inside the storage container 800 by lifting the handle 811 to open the storage container 800.

FIG. 13 is a view showing the interior of the airtight box in a pre-vacuum state. FIG. 14 is a view showing the interior of the airtight box in a post-vacuum state.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the inflatable member 700 of the airtight box 100 may be in a deflated state before the interior of the airtight box 100 is vacuumed, and the inflatable member 700 may expand to reduce the volume of the vacuum portion 600 after the vacuum device is operated to create a vacuum.

In the conventional airtight box formed of a plastic material, the volume may not be reduced even when the internal pressure is reduced. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum portion 600 may include the inflatable member 700, the volume of which may change. As a result, as the pressure inside the storage container 800 decreases, the volume of the inflatable member 700 increases, and thus the volume of the vacuum portion 600 may decrease.

The vacuum portion 600 may include the first check valve 622 configured to maintain the pressure lowered by the vacuum device 500. The vacuum portion 600 may include the second check valve 621 configured to release the hermetically sealed state by being interlocking with the handle.

Although the above technical ideas of the disclosure have been described by way of specific embodiments, the scope of the disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications and variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical ideas of the disclosure as set forth in the claims of the patent will be deemed to be within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising: a storage compartment;a door configured to open or close the storage compartment; andan airtight box including a storage container to store food therein and a case to receive the storage container;wherein the airtight box comprises: a sealing member to be provided between the storage container and the case so that while the sealing member is provided between the storage container and the case, the sealing member is configured to seal an interior of the storage container,a vacuum device configured to draw in air from the interior of the storage container to lower an internal pressure of the storage container, andthe storage container comprises a vacuum portion having a volume which is changeable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the vacuum portion comprises a diaphragm deformable in response to the internal pressure of the storage container.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the diaphragm is a first diaphragm configured to receive the food, andthe vacuum portion comprises a second diaphragm configured to cover an upper portion of the first diaphragm, andthe food is stored between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the vacuum portion comprises a check valve connected to the vacuum device to maintain an internal pressure of the vacuum device.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein a real wall of the storage container comprises a rear coupling groove, andthe check valve is connected to the vacuum device through the rear coupling groove.

6. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the storage container comprises an edge portion surrounding an upper opening, andthe sealing member is a first sealing member on the edge portion, and the airtight box comprises a second sealing member on the case to seal the storage container.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the diaphragm is a first diaphragm configured to receive the food, the first diaphragm being fitted and coupled between the first sealing member and the edge portion, andthe vacuum portion comprises a second diaphragm that is fitted and coupled between the second sealing member and an inner upper surface of the case.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the storage container comprises a rail configured to be inserted into and removed from the case, andthe case comprises a guide rail configured to correspond to the rail to guide the rail, anda rear end of the rail is higher than a front end of the rail to allow the storage container to rise in response to insertion of the storage container into the case.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the storage container comprises a front panel formed to cover a front opening of the case, andthe front panel comprises a handle, andthe vacuum portion comprises a check valve configured to be opened by the handle.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the storage container comprises an interlocking pin configured to press the check valve in response to rotation of the handle.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the airtight box further comprises an inflatable member attached to an inner upper surface of the case to allow the volume to increase in response to operation of the vacuum device.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the vacuum device is arranged on an outside of the case to draw in air from inside the case, andthe storage container comprises a ventilation hole formed to communicate with the interior of the case to allow the vacuum device to draw in air from inside the storage container.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the case comprises a front opening for entry and exit of the storage container and a flange around the front opening,the storage container comprises a front panel formed to cover the front opening of the case, andthe sealing member is arranged on the flange to seal the airtight box.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the front panel of the storage container comprises a handle that is rotatable, and an air passage configured to communicate an outside with the vacuum portion, andthe front panel of the storage container comprises an opening/closing device coupled with the handle to open or close the air passage.