U.S. patent application number 10/801565 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-23 for drawer type door opening/closing structure of refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Kim, Young-Nam.
Application Number | 20040183415 10/801565 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32985822 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040183415 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Young-Nam |
September 23, 2004 |
Drawer type door opening/closing structure of refrigerator
Abstract
Disclosed is a drawer type door opening/closing structure of a
refrigerator. The structure comprises: a refrigerator body having a
storage space formed therein; a door for selectively opening and
closing the storage space in the refrigerator body, the door being
drawn out and pushed into the refrigerator body in a manner in
which a drawer is moved, the door being capable of being pivoted
about a lower end of the door; at least one support frame hingedly
connected to a rear surface of the door to allow the door to pivot
about the lower end of the door and allow a storage box for storing
an object to be seated behind the door; at least one movable rail
formed on the support frame; at least one guide rail formed on an
inner surface of a side wall of the refrigerator body to be engaged
with the movable rail and guide movement of the support frame; and
at least one cover bracket protruding backward from the rear
surface of the door to cover a gap between the support frame and
the rear surface of the door. The structure facilitates placing or
removing of an object, reduces the possibility of accident, and
prevents the refrigerator from being broken.
Inventors: |
Kim, Young-Nam; (Changwon
City, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FLESHNER & KIM, LLP
P.O. BOX 221200
CHANTILLY
VA
20153
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
|
Family ID: |
32985822 |
Appl. No.: |
10/801565 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/402 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/025 20130101;
F25D 23/02 20130101; A47B 2210/17 20130101; A47B 88/944
20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/402 |
International
Class: |
A47B 088/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2003 |
KR |
2003-0017336 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A drawer type door opening/closing structure of a refrigerator,
the structure comprising: a refrigerator body having a storage
space formed therein; a door for selectively opening and closing
the storage space in the refrigerator body, the door being drawn
out and pushed into the refrigerator body in a manner in which a
drawer is moved, the door being capable of being pivoted about a
lower end of the door; at least one support frame hingedly
connected to a rear surface of the door to allow the door to pivot
about the lower end of the door and allow a storage box for storing
an object to be seated behind the door; at least one movable rail
formed on the support frame; at least one guide rail formed on an
inner surface of a side wall of the refrigerator body to be engaged
with the movable rail and guide movement of the support frame; and
at least one cover bracket protruding backward from the rear
surface of the door to cover a gap between the support frame and
the rear surface of the door.
2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover bracket
is located outside of the support frame when the door stands
upright.
3. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door includes a
door basket for storing an object, the door basket being disposed
at an upper portion of the rear surface of the door.
4. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door further
includes at least one tilting latch formed at one side of the rear
surface of the door, the tilting latch having a lower end hingedly
assembled with the support frame, the tilting latch having a latch
jaw and the support frame having a stopper pin, wherein the latch
jaw and the stopper pin can be engaged with each other to limit a
range within which the door can be pivoted.
5. A drawer type door opening/closing structure of a refrigerator,
the structure comprising: a refrigerator body having at least one
storage space formed therein; a door for selectively opening and
closing said at least one storage space in the refrigerator body,
the door being drawn out and pushed into the refrigerator body in a
manner in which a drawer is moved, the door being capable of being
pivoted about a lower end of the door; at least one support frame
hingedly connected to a rear surface of the door to allow the door
to pivot about the lower end of the door and allow a storage box
for storing an object to be seated behind the door; and at least
one cover bracket protruding backward from the rear surface of the
door to cover a gap between the support frame and the rear surface
of the door.
6. The structure as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: at
least one movable rail formed on the support frame; and at least
one guide rail formed on an inner surface of a side wall of the
refrigerator body, wherein the guide rail is engaged with the
movable rail and guide movement of the support frame.
7. The structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover bracket
is located outside of the support frame when the door stands
upright.
8. The structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the door includes a
door basket for storing an object, the door basket being disposed
at an upper portion of the rear surface of the door.
9. The structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the door further
includes at least one tilting latch formed at one side of the rear
surface of the door, the tilting latch having a lower end hingedly
assembled with the support frame, the tilting latch having a latch
jaw and the support frame having a stopper pin, wherein the latch
jaw and the stopper pin can be engaged with each other to limit a
range within which the door can be pivoted.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more
particularly to a drawer type door opening/closing structure of a
refrigerator, in which a portion for storing an object can be drawn
out from or pushed into a refrigerator body.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a drawer type door opening/closing
structure of a refrigerator according to the prior art. As shown,
the conventional drawer type door 4 is disposed at a front surface
of a refrigerator body 2 to selectively close or open a space
inside of the door 4. A tray 6 for storing an object therein, which
has an open top, is fixed to a rear surface of the door 4. Movable
rails 8 are provided on side surfaces of the tray 6 and extend long
along the tray 6 backward from the rear surface of the door 4 to
guide movement of the tray 6. The movable rails 8 are movably
supported by guide rails (not shown) fixed to inner surfaces of
side walls of the refrigerator body 2.
[0005] When the door 4 having the construction described above is
drawn out, the tray 6 moves out of the refrigerator body 2 together
with the door 4. Then, the tray 6 emerges out of the refrigerator
body 2 so that a user can put an object on the tray 6 or pick a
stored object out of the tray 6.
[0006] When the door 4 having been drawn out of the refrigerator
body 2 is pushed into the refrigerator body 2, the tray 6 comes
into the refrigerator body 2 while the movable rails 8 are guided
along the guide rails. When the tray 6 has been completely inserted
in the refrigerator body 2, the door 4 comes into tight contact
with the front surface of the refrigerator body 2 to prevent the
cooling air in the refrigerator body 2 from leaking.
[0007] However, the conventional drawer type door of a refrigerator
as described above has problems as follows.
[0008] First, in order to put or take an object into or out of the
refrigerator having the drawer type door 4 as described above, it
is inevitable that the door 4 should be drawn out forward so that
the tray 6 is exposed. That is, since the tray 6 is opened as mush
as the distance by which the door 4 has moved out of the
refrigerator body 2, the door 4 must be drawn out of the
refrigerator body 2 as much as possible in order to facilitate
placing or removing of an object. However, when the tray 6 is
completely exposed out of the refrigerator body 2, too much cooling
air may leak out of the refrigerator body 2.
[0009] Further, when the tray 6 contains many objects or a heavy
object and is thus heavy, it may be difficult to move the tray 6 by
drawing or pushing the door 4.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve
the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an
object of the present invention is to provide a drawer type door
opening/closing structure of a refrigerator, which can minimize
movement of the door while an object can be easily put into or
removed from the refrigerator.
[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
drawer type door opening/closing structure of a refrigerator, which
can be opened or closed more completely.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
drawer type door opening/closing structure of a refrigerator, which
can be safely operated to prevent an accident while the door is
opened or closed.
[0013] In order to accomplish this object, there is provided a
drawer type door opening/closing structure of a refrigerator, the
structure comprising: a refrigerator body having a storage space
formed therein; a door for selectively opening and closing the
storage space in the refrigerator body, the door being drawn out
and pushed into the refrigerator body in a manner in which a drawer
is moved, the door being capable of being pivoted about a lower end
of the door; at least one support frame hingedly connected to a
rear surface of the door to allow the door to pivot about the lower
end of the door and allow a storage box for storing an object to be
seated behind the door; at least one movable rail formed on the
support frame; at least one guide rail formed on an inner surface
of a side wall of the refrigerator body to be engaged with the
movable rail and guide movement of the support frame; and at least
one cover bracket protruding backward from the rear surface of the
door to cover a gap between the support frame and the rear surface
of the door.
[0014] The cover bracket is located outside of the support frame
when the door stands upright. The door includes a door basket for
storing an object, the door basket being disposed at an upper
portion of the rear surface of the door. The the door further
includes at least one tilting latch formed at one side of the rear
surface of the door, the tilting latch having a lower end hingedly
assembled with the support frame, the tilting latch having a latch
jaw and the support frame having a stopper pin, wherein the latch
jaw and the stopper pin can be engaged with each other to limit a
range within which the door can be pivoted.
[0015] In accordance with another object of the present invention,
there is provided a drawer type door opening/closing structure of a
refrigerator, the structure comprising: a refrigerator body having
at least one storage space formed therein; a door for selectively
opening and closing said at least one storage space in the
refrigerator body, the door being drawn out and pushed into the
refrigerator body in a manner in which a drawer is moved, the door
being capable of being pivoted about a lower end of the door; at
least one support frame hingedly connected to a rear surface of the
door to allow the door to pivot about the lower end of the door and
allow a storage box for storing an object to be seated behind the
door; and at least one cover bracket protruding backward from the
rear surface of the door to cover a gap between the support frame
and the rear surface of the door.
[0016] The structure may further comprise: at least one movable
rail formed on the support frame; and at least one guide rail
formed on an inner surface of a side wall of the refrigerator body,
wherein the guide rail is engaged with the movable rail and guide
movement of the support frame. The cover bracket is located outside
of the support frame when the door stands upright. The door
includes a door basket for storing an object, the door basket being
disposed at an upper portion of the rear surface of the door. The
door further includes at least one tilting latch formed at one side
of the rear surface of the door, the tilting latch having a lower
end hingedly assembled with the support frame, the tilting latch
having a latch jaw and the support frame having a stopper pin,
wherein the latch jaw and the stopper pin can be engaged with each
other to limit a range within which the door can be pivoted.
[0017] A drawer type door opening/closing structure of a
refrigerator according to the present invention can be tilted
forward to a predetermined angle about its lower end. Therefore,
the refrigerator can have a wider opening for receiving an object,
which facilitate input or taking out of an object. Further, the
cover brackets reduces the possibility of accident and prevents the
refrigerator from being broken.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drawer type door
opening/closing structure of a refrigerator according to the prior
art;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator employing a
drawer type door opening/closing structure according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of a drawer type door
opening/closing structure according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of several elements, including
cover brackets, of a drawer type door opening/closing structure
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Hereinafter, a drawer type door opening/closing structure of
a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0024] As shown in the drawings, a refrigerator body 50 has a
refrigerating compartment 52 and a freezing compartment 54, which
are formed therein to form separate storage spaces, respectively.
The refrigerating compartment 52 is located at a relatively upper
portion of the refrigerator body 50, and the freezing compartment
54 is located at a relatively lower portion of the refrigerator
body 50 under the refrigerating compartment 52. A vegetable
compartment 56 may be separately formed at a proper portion of the
refrigerating compartment 52.
[0025] The refrigerating compartment 52 contains a plurality of
shelves 61, each of which has a shape of a cantilever plate to load
and store an object thereon. The shelves 61 are assembled with and
held by the shelf holders 63 provided at inner surfaces of the
refrigerating compartment 52 and extending in a vertical direction
of the refrigerating compartment 52. A proper number of shelves 61
according to the size of the refrigerating compartment 52 are
vertically spaced predetermined intervals apart from each other to
compart the refrigerating compartment 52 into a proper number of
storage compartment.
[0026] The refrigerating compartment 52 may further include a snack
pan 65 for storing fish, snack, and the like, and a can shelf 67
for storing a beverage can thereon, which are located under one of
the shelves 61. Also, the refrigerating compartment 52 may include
an egg box 69 for storing an egg, which is located under one of the
shelves 61.
[0027] A control panel 71 for controlling the operation of the
refrigerator is disposed at the ceiling of the refrigerating
compartment 52, and a lamp 73 is disposed at and exposed out of a
lower surface of the control panel 71. When a refrigerating
compartment door 86, which will be described below, is opened, the
lamp 73 is turned on to light the interior of the refrigerating
compartment 52. When the refrigerating compartment door 86 is
closed, the lamp 73 is turned off. A cooling air port 75 is formed
at an upper portion of an inner surface of a wall of the
refrigerating compartment 52 to allow cool air to be exhausted into
the refrigerating compartment 52 through the cooling air port
75.
[0028] The vegetable compartment 56 is arranged at a lowermost
portion of the refrigerating compartment 52 to form a space in
which a vegetable box 80 for storing fruits or vegetables can be
seated. A vegetable box cover 82 is disposed above the vegetable
box 80 to shield a top surface of the vegetable box 80. The
vegetable box cover 82 may contain a magic crisper for restraining
evaporation of moisture of an object stored in the vegetable box
80. The vegetable box cover 82 has a vegetable box door 96 formed
at a distal end of the vegetable box cover 82, which is described
later.
[0029] A freezing compartment door 84 and the refrigerating
compartment door 86, which enable the refrigerating compartment 52
and the refrigerating compartment 52 to be selectively opened and
closed, respectively, are provided at front surfaces of the
freezing compartment 54 and the refrigerating compartment 52,
respectively, which together constitute the front surface of the
refrigerator body 50.
[0030] The refrigerating compartment door 86 has one side connected
to a right or left side of the front surface of the refrigerator
body 50 by means of a hinge (not shown), so that the other side of
the refrigerating compartment door 86 can be pivoted forward to
open the refrigerating compartment 52. A first door grip 86' is
provided at a portion of the front surface of the refrigerating
compartment door 86, which is located adjacent to the other side of
the refrigerating compartment door 86 opposite to the side where
the hinge is located. The refrigerating compartment door 86 further
includes a first door basket 88 for storing an object, which is
formed at a rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door
86.
[0031] The freezing compartment door 84 is disposed at the front
surface the freezing compartment 54 under the refrigerating
compartment 52. In order to open the freezing compartment 54, the
freezing compartment door 84 may be either linearly moved forward
from the front surface of the refrigerator body 50 or pivoted
forward a predetermined angle about a hinge located at a lower end
of the refrigerator body 50. Reference numeral 84' not described
above designates a grip of the freezing compartment 54.
[0032] The freezing compartment 54 has a storage box 90 for seating
an object therein. The storage box 90 is assembled with a rear
surface of the freezing compartment door 84, so that the storage
box 90 moves in company with the freezing compartment door 84 when
the freezing compartment door 84 is moved.
[0033] An upper portion of the freezing compartment 54 is
partitioned into a left section and a right section, in which an
ice maker 92 and a storage basket 94 are seated, respectively. The
storage basket 94 may be formed of wires. Of course, the portion in
which the ice maker 92 and the storage basket 94 are located is
sufficiently high enough to prevent the ice maker 92 or the storage
basket 94 from coming into contact with the storage box 90.
[0034] The freezing compartment door 84 is of a drawer type door,
which is opened when it is drawn out forward. Specifically, the
freezing compartment door 84 has a construction which enables the
freezing compartment door 84 to rotate forward about its lower end
until the freezing compartment door 84 is tilted forward at a
predetermined angle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the storage
space in the freezing compartment 54 can be opened by simply
tilting the freezing compartment door 84 without drawing the
freezing compartment door 84 forward of the refrigerator body 50.
Further, the freezing compartment door 84 is supported by a
separate elastic member (not shown) so that the freezing
compartment door 84 can be restored to its original state (the
state in which the freezing compartment door 84 stands upright,
from among the states shown in the figures) when the force pulling
the freezing compartment door 84 open is eliminated.
[0035] A pair of tilting latches 102 are connected to the rear
surface of the freezing compartment door 84. The tilting latches
102 extend backward from opposite sides of the rear surface of the
freezing compartment door 84. Each of the tilting latches 102 has a
latch jaw 102a formed at an upper rear end of the tilting latch 102
and a lower hinge pin 102b formed at a lower end of the tilting
latch 102.
[0036] A pair of support frames 104 are connected to the rear
surface of the freezing compartment door 84. Each of the support
frames 104 has one side connected to the freezing compartment door
84 and the other side movably supported in the freezing compartment
54. In other words, the freezing compartment door 84 is actually
installed at the support frames 104. It is preferred that each of
the support frames 104 has a shape of an inverted "L", including a
horizontal section 104a and a vertical section 104b, as shown in
FIG. 3. The storage box 90 is located between and supported by the
support frames 104 constructed as described above.
[0037] The support frame 104 has a lower hinge hole 106 formed
through a portion adjacent to a lower end of the vertical section
104b. The lower hinge pins 102b are rotatably inserted through the
lower hinge holes 106, respectively, so that the freezing
compartment door 84 can rotate about the lower hinge pins 102b.
[0038] Further, a stopper pin 108 protrudes inward from the
vertical section 104b of the support frame 104. When the latch jaw
102a has rotated a predetermined angle, 103 catches or engages with
the latch jaw 102a, thereby limiting the range of angle to which
the freezing compartment door 84 can be pivoted open.
[0039] Of course, the latch jaw 102a may be directly caught by or
directly engage with an end portion of the vertical section 104b of
the support frame 104, without separately forming the stopper pin
108 at the support frame 104.
[0040] Cover brackets 109 protrude backward from a lowermost
portion of the rear surface of the freezing compartment door 84.
Each of the cover brackets 109 prevents foreign material from being
introduced from a side of the freezing compartment 54 into a gap
between the vertical section 104b of the support frame 104 and the
freezing compartment door 84 when the freezing compartment door 84
is restored to its upright position from its forward tilted
position. It is preferred that the cover bracket 109 has a
substantially rectangular shape. Of course, the cover bracket 109
may have various other shapes such as a fan shape, an inverted
triangular shape, etc.
[0041] The cover brackets 109 protrude backward from opposite side
portions of the lowermost portion of the rear surface of the
freezing compartment door 84, specifically, they are formed outside
of the support frames 104. Therefore, when the freezing compartment
door 84 stands upright, the cover brackets 109 are located outside
of the vertical section 104b of the support frame 104.
[0042] That is, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, when the freezing
compartment door 84 stands upright, the left-side cover bracket 109
is located on the left of the vertical section 104b of the
left-side support frame 104, and the right-side cover bracket 109'
is located on the right of 104bk of the right-side support frame
104'.
[0043] A movable rail 110 is formed on an upper portion of an outer
surface of each of the support frames 104. In other words, a pair
of movable rails 110 are formed on outer surfaces of the pair of
support frames 104, respectively. When the freezing compartment
door 84 is drawn out, the movable rails 110 slide forward to enable
the storage box 90 to move forward along with the freezing
compartment door 84. The movable rail 110 may be integrally formed
with the support frame 104 formed of a metal steel plate.
[0044] Guide rails 112 are formed on inner surfaces of side walls
of the freezing compartment 54 to slidably support the movable
rails 110, respectively. The movable rail 110 is supported by and
can slide along the guide rail 112.
[0045] A second door basket 114 is assembled with an upper portion
of the rear surface of the freezing compartment door 84 to store an
object on the rear surface of the freezing compartment door 84. The
second door basket 114 can be easily exposed and accessed only by
tilting the freezing compartment door 84. Therefore, an object can
be easily stored in or taken out of the second door basket 114.
[0046] Hereinafter, an operation of a drawer type door
opening/closing structure of a refrigerator according to the
present invention, having the construction as described above, will
be described in detail.
[0047] When a user pulls the second door grip 84' of the freezing
compartment door 84 forward and downward in order to store or take
out an object, the freezing compartment door 84 rotates forward and
downward about the lower hinge pin 102b, that is, about the lower
end of the freezing compartment door 84. Here, the rotation of the
freezing compartment door 84 stops when the latch jaw 102a of the
tilting latch 102 is caught by or engages with the stopper pin 108
of the support frame 104.
[0048] When the freezing compartment door 84 has rotated a
predetermined angle counterclockwise in FIG. 3 together with the
tilting latch 102, the second door basket 114 provided at the rear
surface of the freezing compartment door 84 becomes exposed so that
an object can be put into or taken out of the second door basket
114.
[0049] Further, in the state in which the freezing compartment door
84 is tilted as described above, when the freezing compartment door
84 is pulled forward, the support frames 104 connected to the rear
surface of the freezing compartment door 84 are drawn out together
with the freezing compartment door 84, so that the storage box 90
is exposed. When the storage box 90 is exposed as described above,
a user can put an object into or take an object out of the storage
box 90.
[0050] Here, the movable rails 110 formed on the support frames 104
slide forward along the guide rails 112, so that the support frames
104 can smoothly move forward.
[0051] Next, the sequence in which the storage box 90 and the
second door basket 114 having been drawn out of the freezing
compartment 54 are inserted back into the freezing compartment 54
will be described hereinafter.
[0052] When a user pushes the freezing compartment door 84 toward
the freezing compartment 54, the tilting latch 102 attached to the
rear surface of the freezing compartment door 84 rotates about the
lower hinge pin 102b. This rotation stops when the rear surface of
the freezing compartment door 84 comes into close contact with the
vertical sections 104b of the support frames 104. When the tilting
latch 102 rotates as described above, the second door basket 114
and the freezing compartment door 84 connected to the tilting latch
102 also rotate clockwise in FIG. 3 until the freezing compartment
door 84 stands upright.
[0053] Here, the cover bracket 109 prevents a portion of a human
body, such as a finger, or other foreign material from being caught
between the freezing compartment door 84 and the vertical sections
104b of the support frames 104.
[0054] That is, when the freezing compartment door 84 is tilted
forward, the gap as designated by `A` in FIG. 3 forms a space
shaped like an inverted triangle in a side view between the
vertical sections 104b of the support frames 104 and the freezing
compartment door 84. However, the cover bracket 109 covers the
space, thereby preventing foreign material from coming into the
space or gap between the rear surface of the freezing compartment
door 84 and the vertical sections 104b of the support frames
104.
[0055] Further, when the user goes on pushing the freezing
compartment door 84 into the freezing compartment 54, the movable
rails 110 of the support frames 104 slide along the guide rails 112
into the freezing compartment 54. It goes without saying that, at
this time, the storage box 90 also moves into the freezing
compartment 54.
[0056] Meanwhile, the present invention allows a user to pull out
the storage box 90 without pivoting the freezing compartment door
84. For this operation, the user can pull the freezing compartment
door 84 forward or forward and upward. Then, the freezing
compartment door 84 is drawn out while standing upright without
being pivoted, so that the storage box 90 and the second door
basket 114 are drawn all together out of the refrigerator.
[0057] Although the above description is given of a case in which
the present invention is applied to a drawer type door for a
refrigerating compartment, it goes without saying that the present
invention can be applied to a drawer type door for a freezing
compartment.
[0058] As described above in detail, a drawer type door
opening/closing structure of a refrigerator according to the
present invention enables the door to be tilted forward up to a
predetermined angle, and the door has cover brackets provided at
side portions of the rear surface of the door to prevent alien
material from being introduced from the side portions.
[0059] By a drawer type door opening/closing structure of a
refrigerator according to the present invention, a user either can
put an object into or take an object out of a door basket by
tilting only the door without drawing the door forward out of the
refrigerator, or can draw the door out of the refrigerator without
tilting the door. Therefore, the user can open or close the door in
a wider variety of ways, and the refrigerator can have a wider
opening for receiving an object, which facilitate input or taking
out of an object.
[0060] Further, the cover brackets provided at side portions of the
rear surface of the door prevent alien material, including human
fingers, from being introduced from the side portions into the gap
between the door and the support frame. Therefore, the present
invention reduces the possibility of accident in which a portion of
a human body is caught between the door and the support frame and
prevents in advance the opening/closing structure of the drawer
type door from being broken due to the foreign material.
[0061] Moreover, when a foreign material is caught between the door
and the support frame, typically the door and the refrigerator body
cannot come into close contact with each other, so that cooling air
may leak out of the refrigerator. However, the present invention
can solve such a problem.
[0062] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *