U.S. patent application number 10/458323 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-25 for drawer-type refrigerator having tightly closable sliding unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chae, Jong-eun.
Application Number | 20040056573 10/458323 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31987488 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040056573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chae, Jong-eun |
March 25, 2004 |
Drawer-type refrigerator having tightly closable sliding unit
Abstract
A drawer-type refrigerator includes a body cabinet with at least
one storage area having a front opening and a sliding unit to slide
in and out through the front opening of the storage area. An
automatic guiding device/securing mechanism/locking mechanism which
is interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, stores
an elastic force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when
the sliding unit slides out and provides the stored elastic force
to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in. Thus, the
drawer-type refrigerator has a sliding unit that can be completely
slid into a storage area, and the inside of the storage area can be
closed tightly independent of a material of a body cabinet and a
door.
Inventors: |
Chae, Jong-eun; (Kwangju
City, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon city
KR
|
Family ID: |
31987488 |
Appl. No.: |
10/458323 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/404 ;
312/333 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 23/067 20130101;
A47B 88/467 20170101; F25D 25/025 20130101; A47B 2088/4015
20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/404 ;
312/333 |
International
Class: |
A47B 088/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 19, 2002 |
KR |
2002-57236 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A drawer-type refrigerator comprising a body cabinet,
comprising: at least one storage area with a front opening; a
sliding unit to slide in and out through the front opening of the
storage area; and an automatic guiding device interposed between
the storage area and the sliding unit, stores an elastic force in a
sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when the sliding unit
slides out, and provides the stored elastic force to the sliding
unit when the sliding unit slides in.
2. The drawer-type refrigerator, according to claim 1, wherein the
automatic guiding device includes: an engaging projection provided
in one of the storage area and the sliding unit; a sliding locker
having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the
engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second
engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging
projection when the sliding unit slides in; a guide part, disposed
in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide
the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a
sliding position in which the first engaging supporter slides,
engaging one side of the engaging projection, and a disengaging
position in which the first engaging supporter is disengaged when
the sliding unit slides in and out; and a spring member to store
the elastic force while the sliding locker moves to the disengaging
position.
3. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 2, further
comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit and installed in
the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit,
and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed
in the guide rail.
4. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the
sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front
opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the
guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and
the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.
5. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the
guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance
direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding
locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal
guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging
position.
6. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the
sliding locker further comprises a first guide projection inserted
into the horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance
direction of the sliding unit, and a second guide projection to
slide between the horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide
hole.
7. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein one
side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and
another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide
projection.
8. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the
spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide
hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.
9. A drawer-type refrigerator having a storage area, comprising: a
sliding unit, arranged to slide in and out through a front opening
of the storage area of the refrigerator; and a securing mechanism,
interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, wherein
the securing mechanism includes a spring member to attach the
sliding unit securely to the storage area when the sliding unit is
inserted completely into the storage area.
10. The drawer-type refrigerator, according to claim 9, wherein the
securing mechanism comprises: an engaging projection provided in
one of the storage area and the sliding unit; a sliding locker
having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the
engaging projection and extend the spring to store an elastic force
when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging supporter to
engage the other side of the engaging projection when the sliding
unit slides in, aided by the stored elastic force; and a guide
part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the sliding
unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is
moveable between a sliding position in which the first engaging
supporter slides, engaging one side of the engaging projection, and
a disengaging position in which the first engaging supporter is
disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and out.
11. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 10, further
comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit and installed in
the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit,
and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed
in the guide rail.
12. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the
sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front
opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the
guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and
the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.
13. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the
guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance
direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding
locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal
guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging
position.
14. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the
sliding locker further comprises a first guide projection inserted
into the horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance
direction of the sliding unit, and a second guide projection to
slide between the horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide
hole.
15. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein one
side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and
another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide
projection.
16. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the
spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide
hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.
17. A drawer-type refrigerator having a storage area, comprising: a
sliding unit, arranged to slide in and out through a front opening
of the storage area of the refrigerator; and a locking mechanism,
interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, wherein
the locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded sliding locking unit
to secure the sliding unit to the storage area when the sliding
unit slides completely into the storage area.
18. The drawer-type refrigerator, according to claim 17, wherein
the spring-loaded locking sliding locking unit comprises: a sliding
locker having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the
engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second
engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging
projection when the sliding unit slides in; and a spring member to
store an elastic force while the sliding locker moves to a
disengaging position.
19. The drawer-type refrigerator, according to claim 18, wherein
the locking mechanism further includes: an engaging projection
provided in one of the storage area and the sliding unit; and a
guide part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the
sliding unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding
locker is moveable between a sliding position in which the first
engaging supporter slides, engaging one side of the engaging
projection, and a disengaging position in which the first engaging
supporter is disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and
out.
20. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 19, further
comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit is installed in
the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit,
and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed
in the guide rail.
21. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the
sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front
opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the
guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and
the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.
22. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 21, wherein the
guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance
direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding
locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal
guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging
position.
23. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 22, wherein the
sliding locker comprises a first guide projection inserted into the
horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance direction of the
sliding unit, and a second guide projection to slide between the
horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide hole.
24. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 23, wherein one
side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and
another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide
projection.
25. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 24, wherein the
spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide
hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.
26. The drawer-type refrigerator according to claim 17, further
comprising: the locking mechanism comprises an automatic guiding
device interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit,
stores an elastic force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding
unit when the sliding unit slides out, and provides the stored
elastic force to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in,
and the guiding device includes: an engaging projection provided in
one of the storage area and the sliding unit; a sliding locker
having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the
engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second
engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging
projection when the sliding unit slides in; a guide part, disposed
in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide
the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a
sliding position in a horizontal opening in which a first guide
projection and a second guide projection slide, and a locking
position in which the second guide projection slides into a
vertical opening that is connected to the horizontal opening; and a
spring member, attached to the second guide projection, storing the
elastic force in the spring member and locking the sliding unit
completely closed when the second guide projection slides into the
vertical opening.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application
No. 2002-0057236, filed Sep. 19, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual
Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a drawer-type refrigerator,
especially a drawer-type refrigerator having an improved entrance
structure of a sliding unit thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A conventional drawer-type refrigerator, as shown in FIG. 1,
comprises a body cabinet 110 in which a storage area 111 having a
front opening 113 is formed, a guide rail 115 installed along
opposite sides of the storage area 111 and a sliding unit 120 to
slide in and out through the front opening 113 of the storage area
111, along the guide rail 115.
[0006] The sliding unit 120 includes a door 121 for opening and/or
closing the front opening 113 of the storage area 111, a supporting
frame 123 extended along the guide rail 115 from an interior side
of the door 121, and a storage basket 125 to store items, inserted
between both supporting frames 123 and supported thereby.
[0007] Rollers (not shown) may be installed between the guide rail
115 and the supporting frame 123 at predetermined intervals so that
the sliding unit 120 can slide smoothly.
[0008] Conventionally, an edge of the interior side of the door 121
and a wall of the body cabinet 110 adhere closely to each other via
a magnetic force. That is, a magnet (not shown) is provided in the
inside of an interior plate of the door 121 and a magnetic metal is
provided in the wall of the body cabinet 110 opposite to the
interior plate of the door 121. Thus, the door 121 closes up the
front opening 113 of the storage area 111.
[0009] However, in a conventional drawer-type refrigerator, when
the door 121 does not tightly close the front opening 113 of the
storage area 111, but instead protrudes from the body cabinet 110,
and a user does not notice the problem, the storage area 11 may be
left open, allowing cool air to leak out and power to be lost.
[0010] Also, even if the storage area 111 is closed by the magnetic
force, a material of the body cabinet 110 is limited to a magnetic
material. When the body cabinet 110 is provided as a non-magnetic
material, a special magnetic body needs to be provided in a
position opposite to a magnet installed in the door 121.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
include a drawer-type refrigerator with a sliding unit that can be
completely slid into a storage area to close the inside of the
storage area tightly.
[0012] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0013] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
are achieved by a drawer-type refrigerator comprising a body
cabinet having at least one storage area with a front opening and a
sliding unit to slide in and out through the front opening of the
storage area, further comprising an automatic guiding
device/securing mechanism/locking mechanism which is interposed
between the storage area and the sliding unit, stores an elastic
force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when the
sliding unit slides out, and provides the stored elastic force to
the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in.
[0014] In one aspect, the automatic guiding device/securing
mechanism/locking mechanism includes an engaging projection in one
of the storage area and the sliding unit, a sliding locker having a
first engaging supporter to engage one side of the engaging
projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging
supporter to engage another side of the engaging projection when
the sliding unit slides in, a guide part, disposed in the other one
of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide the sliding
locker to move between a sliding position in which the first
engaging supporter slides, engaging the one side of the engaging
projection, and a disengaging position in which the first engaging
supporter is disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and out,
and a spring member to store an elastic force while the sliding
locker moves to the disengaging position.
[0015] In one aspect, a guide rail to guide the sliding unit is
installed in the storage area along an entrance direction of the
sliding unit, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part
is disposed in the guide rail.
[0016] In one aspect, the sliding unit includes a door opening
and/or closing the front opening of the storage area, a supporting
frame extended along the guide rail from the door, and one of the
engaging projection and the guide part disposed in the supporting
frame.
[0017] In one aspect, in the guide part are a horizontal guide
hole, formed along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, to
guide the sliding of the sliding locker and a vertical guide hole,
extended from the horizontal guide hole, to guide the sliding
locker to the disengaging position.
[0018] Also, in one aspect, the sliding locker further comprises a
first guide projection inserted into the horizontal guide hole to
slide along the entrance direction of the sliding unit and a second
guide projection to slide between the horizontal guide hole and the
vertical guide hole.
[0019] Furthermore, in one aspect, one side of the spring member is
connected to the guide part and another side of the spring member
is connected to the second guide projection.
[0020] Additionally, in one aspect, the spring member is installed
lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide hole at the disengaging
position of the sliding locker.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from
the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction
with the accompany drawings of which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a conventional
drawer-type refrigerator;
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial sectional views of a drawer-type
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the
drawer-type refrigerator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;
[0025] FIGS. 5A through 5D illustrate operation states of the
drawer-type refrigerator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; and
[0026] FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B illustrate operation states of an
engaging projection and a sliding locker of the drawer-type
refrigerator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are
described below in order to explain the present invention by
referring to the figures.
[0028] A drawer-type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, comprises a body
cabinet 10 with a storage area 11 having a front opening 13, a
sliding unit 20 to slide in and out through the front opening 13 of
the storage area 11, and an automatic guiding device/securing
mechanism/locking mechanism interposed between the storage area 11
and the sliding unit 20, to store an elastic force in a sliding-in
direction of the sliding unit 20 when the sliding unit 20 slides
out and to provide the elastic force that is stored to the sliding
unit 20 when the sliding unit 20 slides in.
[0029] A guide rail 15, installed along opposite sides of the
storage area 11, guides the sliding unit 20 when the sliding unit
20 slides in and out. The sliding unit 20 includes a door 21
opening and/or closing the front opening 13 of the storage area 11,
a supporting frame 23 extended along the guide rail 15 from an
interior side of the door 21 and a storage basket 25 to store
items, inserted within the supporting frame 23 and supported
thereby.
[0030] Rollers (not shown) may be provided between the guide rail
15 and the supporting frame 23 at predetermined intervals so that
the sliding unit 20 can slide smoothly.
[0031] The automatic guiding device/securing mechanism/locking
mechanism includes an engaging projection 40 in one of the storage
area 11 and the sliding unit 20, a sliding locker 30 having a first
engaging supporter 31 to engage one side of the engaging projection
40 when the sliding unit 20 slides out and a second engaging
supporter 33 to engage the other side of the engaging projection 40
when the sliding unit 20 slides in, a guide part 50, disposed in
the other one of the storage area 11 and the sliding unit 20, to
guide the sliding locker 30 so that the sliding locker 30 can move
between a sliding position in which the first engaging supporter 31
slides, engaging one side of the engaging projection 40, and a
disengaging position in which the first engaging supporter 31 is
disengaged when the sliding unit 20 slides out and in, and a spring
member 60 to store the elastic force while the sliding locker 30
moves to the disengaging position.
[0032] The engaging projection 40 can be disposed at the backward
side and the inside of the storage area 11 in the guide rail 15 and
engages the sliding locker 30. The sliding locker 30 is located on
the upper side of the engaging projection 40 and slides, supported
by the guide part 50. The first engaging supporter 31 and the
second engaging supporter 33 are disposed in the sliding locker 30.
The first engaging supporter 31, disposed backward from the
engaging projection 40, engages the rear of the engaging projection
40 when the sliding unit 20 slides out. The second engaging
supporter 33, disposed forward from the engaging projection 40,
contacts the front of the engaging projection 40, to make the first
engaging supporter 31 contact the rear of the engaging projection
40 when that the sliding unit 20 slides in. The first engaging
supporter 31 and the second engaging supporter 33 of the sliding
locker 30 are disposed forward and backward from the engaging
projection 40, forming a "" shape.
[0033] A first guide projection 35 (refer to FIGS. 7A and 7B) is,
inserted into a horizontal guide hole 51 of the guide part 50, and
a second guide projection 37 (refer to FIGS. 7A and 7B) slides
between the horizontal guide hole 51 and a vertical guide hole 53
of the guide part 50 that are disposed in the sliding locker
30.
[0034] The guide part 50 to guide the sliding locker 30 is disposed
in the sliding unit 20. The guide part 50 guides the sliding locker
30 so that the sliding locker 30 can move between a sliding
position in which the first engaging supporter 31 slides, engaging
the rear of the engaging projection 40, and a disengaging position
in which the first engaging supporter 31 is disengaged when the
sliding unit 20 slides out and in. The guide part 50 of the
embodiment according to the present invention is disposed in the
supporting frame 23, but can be also disposed in a predetermined
position of the storage basket 25 opposite to the engaging
projection 40 when the sliding unit 20 slides into the storage area
11.
[0035] The horizontal guide hole 51 and the vertical guide hole 53
are disposed in the guide part 50. The horizontal guide hole 51,
formed along the entrance direction of the sliding unit 20, guides
the first guide projection 35 and the second guide projection 37 at
the sliding position of the sliding locker 30. The vertical guide
hole 53, extended upward from the backside of the horizontal guide
hole 51, guides the second guide projection 37 to guide the sliding
locker 30 to the disengaging position.
[0036] Between the guide part 50 and the sliding locker 30, the
spring member 60 is interposed and is lengthened as the sliding
locker 30 slides along the guide part 50 when the sliding unit 20
slides out. The spring member 60 is lengthened as the sliding unit
20 slides out, providing the sliding unit 20 with an elastic force
acting in the sliding-in direction of the sliding unit 20 on the
entrance of the sliding unit 20. In one embodiment, one side of the
spring member 60 is connected to the guide part 50, and the other
side of the spring member 60 is connected to the second guide
projection 37.
[0037] With the above configuration, the operation process of the
drawer-type refrigerator is described as follows, referring to
FIGS. 5A through 5D and 6. At first, in the state that the sliding
unit 20 is completely inserted into the storage area 11 of the body
cabinet 10, as shown in FIG. 5A, the first engaging supporter 31
and the second engaging supporter 33 are oppositely disposed
backward and forward from the engaging projection 40 respectively.
Also, the first guide projection 35 and the second guide projection
37 of the sliding locker 30 are inserted into the horizontal guide
hole 51 of the guide part 50.
[0038] If a user pulls out the sliding unit 20, the sliding unit 20
slides out along the guide rail 15, and the guide part 50 provided
in the sliding unit 20 is pulled out with the sliding unit 20. The
rear of the engaging projection 40 disposed in the guide rail 15
contacts with the first engaging supporter 31 of the sliding locker
30 and applies backward pressure to the sliding locker 30 to make
the first guide projection 35 and the second guide projection 37 of
the sliding locker 30 slide backward along the horizontal guide
hole 51. In this embodiment, the spring member 60 is attached to
the guide part 50 and the second guide projection 37 and is
lengthened as the sliding locker 30 slides (refer to FIG. 5B).
[0039] When the sliding unit 20 slides out by a predetermined
distance, the second guide projection 37 of the sliding locker 30
that slides in the backward side of the guide part 50 is inserted
into the vertical guide hole 53. If the second guide projection 37
of the sliding locker 30 slides along the vertical guide hole 53,
the sliding locker 30 rotates, to disengage the first engaging
supporter 31 and the engaging projection 40 (refer to FIG. 5C).
When the sliding unit 20 slides out the storage area 11
continuously, the sliding locker 30 also slides out with the
sliding unit 20 and the guide part 50, so that the first engaging
supporter 31 and the engaging projection 40 disengage, and the
spring member 60 is lengthened (refer to FIG. 5D).
[0040] As described above, when the sliding unit 20 slides out from
the storage area 11 and thereafter slides in again, the guide part
50 and the sliding locker 30 approach the engaging projection 40
disposed in the backward side of the guide rail 15 by a sliding of
the sliding unit 20. When the sliding unit 20 slides into the
storage area 11 by a predetermined distance, the front of the
engaging projection 40 contacts the second engaging supporter 33 of
the sliding locker 30 to apply pressure to the second engaging
supporter 33 of the sliding locker 30. If the engaging projection
40 applies pressure to the second engaging supporter 33, the first
guide projection 35 and the second guide projection 37 slide along
the horizontal guide hole 51 and the vertical guide hole 53. Then,
the second guide projection 37 located in the vertical guide hole
53 enters the horizontal guide hole 51, rotating the sliding locker
30 clockwise (refer to FIG. 6). As the sliding locker 30 rotates,
the first guide projection 35 and the second guide projection 37
are located in the horizontal guide hole 51, and the first engaging
supporter 31 and the second engaging supporter 33 are located
backward and forward from the engaging projection 40,
respectively.
[0041] The first guide projection 35 and the second guide
projection 37 slide in the horizontal guide hole 51, which causes
the spring member 60 to pull the sliding locker 30 in the
sliding-out direction of the sliding unit 20 by the elastic force.
The elastic force of the spring member 60 acting on the sliding
locker 30 acts on the guide part 50 to pull the sliding unit 20 in
the sliding-in direction of the sliding unit 20, and the sliding
locker 30 is held in the storage area 11 by the engagement of the
first engaging supporter 31 and the backward side of the engaging
projection 40.
[0042] Through the above process, the sliding unit 20 is completely
pushed into the storage area 11. Although the sliding unit 20
slides out from the storage area 11, to some extent, the sliding
unit 20 is completely slid into the storage area 11 again by the
elastic force of the spring member 60, so that the front opening 13
can be tightly closed for the drawer-type refrigerator according to
the present invention.
[0043] Preferably, the spring member 60 is installed opposite to
the horizontal guide hole 51 of the guide part 50 at the
disengaging position (refer to FIG. 7B). If the sliding locker 30
slides along the horizontal guide hole 51, the spring member 60 is
lengthened diagonally to the guide part 50 (refer to FIG. 7A). The
elastic force of the spring member 60 prevents the sliding locker
30 from rotating arbitrarily at the disengaging position, to
prevent the sliding locker 30 from sliding into the sliding
position. In the above embodiment, the guide rail 15 is provided in
the sidewall of the storage area 11, but may be alternatively
provided in the lower part or upper wall part of the storage area
11.
[0044] In the above embodiment, the engaging projection 40 is
disposed in the guide rail 15, and the guide part 50 is disposed in
the sliding unit 20. However, alternatively, the installation
position of the engaging projection 40 and the guide part 50 may be
interchanged.
[0045] In the above embodiment, the engaging projection 40 is
disposed in the guide rail 15, but may be alternatively disposed in
the position where the engaging projection 40 can be fixed while
the sliding unit 20 slides in and out. For example, the engaging
projection 40 can be fixed in the interior wall of the storage area
11, at an opposite position to the sliding locker 30.
[0046] In the above embodiment, the sliding unit 20 comprises the
door 21, the supporting frame 23 and the storage basket 25, but may
alternatively comprise another combination able to slide along the
guide rail 15.
[0047] As described above, by providing the automatic guiding
device/securing mechanism/locking mechanism which is interposed
between the storage area 11 and the sliding unit 20, stores the
elastic force in the sliding-in direction of the sliding unit 20
when the sliding unit 20 slides out, and provides the stored
elastic force to the sliding unit 20 when the sliding unit 20
slides in, the sliding unit 20 can be completely slid into the
storage area 11.
[0048] Furthermore, the door 21 can close the front opening 13 of
the storage area 11 tightly by the elastic force of the spring
member 60, independent of the material of the body cabinet 10 and
the door 21.
[0049] As described above, the present invention includes a
drawer-type refrigerator having a sliding unit that can be
completely slid into a storage area and thus, the inside of the
storage area can be tightly closed independent of a material of a
body cabinet and a door.
[0050] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *