Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body having a cooling chamber, a cooling chamber door configured to open and close the cooling chamber by sliding in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body, a drawer accommodated in the cooling chamber so as to be slidable, and a connecting member configured to connect the cooling chamber door and the drawer to each other. Accordingly, the drawer can be easily withdrawn.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Korean Application No. 10-2009-0067961, filed on Jul. 24, 2009, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and particularly, to a refrigerator capable of withdrawing a drawer in an interworking manner with a door when the door is open.

[0004] 2. Background of the Invention

[0005] Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus for freshly storing food items in a cool or frozen state. The refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body having a plurality of cooling chambers therein, doors configured to open and close the cooling chambers, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus configured to provide cool air to the cooling chambers.

[0006] The refrigeration cycle apparatus may be implemented as a vapor type refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant by emitting heat, an expansion device configured to expand the refrigerant by depressurization, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant by absorbing peripheral latent heat.

[0007] The refrigerator body may be provided with a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber therein.

[0008] The refrigerator may be categorized into a top mount freezer that a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber arranged at upper and lower sides are partitioned from each other by a partition wall, and a bottom freezer that a refrigerating chamber is disposed at an upper side of a partition wall and a freezing chamber is disposed at a lower side of the partition wall.

[0009] Alternatively, the refrigerator may be implemented as a side by side type that a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber are partitioned from each other by a partition wall arranged in upper and lower directions.

[0010] The doors may be provided at the refrigerator body so as to open and close the cooling chambers. Some of the doors may be hinge-coupled to the refrigerator body, and others may be configured to be slidable in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body.

[0011] A drawer may be provided in the refrigerator body so as to utilize an inner space. The drawer may be configured to be slidable in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body.

[0012] However, the conventional refrigerator has the following problems.

[0013] Firstly, in order to accommodate or take food items (or other items) into/out of the drawer, a cooling chamber door has to be firstly opened, and then the drawer has to be withdrawn. This may cause a user's inconvenience in using the drawer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of easily withdrawing a drawer.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of interworking a drawer and a door only when necessary.

[0016] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator body having a cooling chamber; a cooling chamber door configured to open and close the cooling chamber by sliding in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body; a drawer accommodated in the cooling chamber so as to be slidable; and a connecting member configured to connect the cooling chamber door and the drawer to each other.

[0017] The connecting member may be provided at one of the cooling chamber door and the drawer.

[0018] The connecting member may be configured so as to be rotatable.

[0019] The connecting member may comprise a body, and a hooking portion formed at one end of the body.

[0020] The hooking portion may be formed to be bent at an end of the body.

[0021] The connecting member may be provided at the cooling chamber door.

[0022] An insertion portion configured to insert the hooking portion thereinto may be provided at the cooling chamber door.

[0023] The connecting member may be provided at the drawer.

[0024] The connecting member may comprise a body, and a hooking portion formed at an end of the body.

[0025] The hooking portion may be formed to be bent at an end of the body.

[0026] A contact portion contacting the hooking portion may be provided at the cooling chamber door.

[0027] The body may be detachably coupled to the drawer.

[0028] The drawer may be provided with wires, and the body may be provided with a wire coupling portion configured to elastically couple the wires thereto.

[0029] The wire coupling portion may be configured to be elastically transformed, and a sectional surface thereof may be in a circular ring shape having one open side.

[0030] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0032] In the drawings:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a freezing chamber door of FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing main parts of FIG. 2;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a view showing an interworking state between the freezing chamber door and a drawer of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 6 is a view showing a state that the freezing chamber door of FIG. 1 has opened;

[0039] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing main parts of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a region of a connecting member of the refrigerator of FIG. 7;

[0041] FIG. 9 is a view to explain the operation of a connecting member of FIG. 7; and

[0042] FIG. 10 is a view showing a state that a freezing chamber door of FIG. 7 has opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] Description will now be given in detail of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to the present invention will be explained in more detail.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a freezing chamber door of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing main parts of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a view showing an interworking state between the freezing chamber door and a drawer of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a view showing a state that the freezing chamber door of FIG. 1 has opened.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator comprises: a refrigerator body 110 having a cooling chamber; a cooling chamber door configured to open and close the cooling chamber by sliding in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body 110; a drawer 160 accommodated in the cooling chamber so as to be slidable; and a connecting member 170 configured to connect the cooling chamber door and the drawer 160 to each other.

[0047] The cooling chamber may totally indicate a freezing chamber, a refrigerating chamber, etc. The refrigerator body 110 may be provided with one of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, and may be provided with a refrigeration cycle configured to cool the cooling chamber. The refrigeration cycle may include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant by emitting heat, an expansion device configured to expand the refrigerant by depressurization, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant by absorbing peripheral latent heat.

[0048] The refrigerator body 110 may include a refrigerating chamber 130 and a freezing chamber 140 disposed in upper and lower directions, respectively, based on a partition wall 120 horizontally disposed. Refrigerating chamber doors 135 configured to open and close the refrigerating chamber 130 may be provided at a front surface of the refrigerating chamber 130. The refrigerating chamber doors 135 may be hinge-coupled to the refrigerator body 110. The refrigerating chamber doors 135 may be implemented in one pair in number.

[0049] A freezing chamber door 145 configured to open and close the freezing camber 140 may be provided at the freezing chamber 140. The freezing chamber door 145 may be configured to open and close the freezing chamber 140 by sliding in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body 110.

[0050] Rails 149 configured to slidably supporting the freezing chamber door 145 may be provided at both sides of the freezing chamber door 145. The rails 149 may be formed so as to be contracted or extended in a lengthwise direction.

[0051] At a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145, may be provided a gasket 146 contacting edges of a front opening of the freezing chamber 140 and configured to prevent leakage of cool air.

[0052] An accommodation portion 147 configured to accommodate food items therein may be provided at a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145. The accommodation portion 147 may be integrally formed with the freezing chamber door 145. The accommodation portion 147 may be formed to have a height lower than that of the freezing chamber 140. A drawer 160 may be provided at an inner upper region of the freezing chamber 140 so as to be withdrawn in back and forth directions.

[0053] The drawer 160 may be formed in an upwardly-opened box shape, and may be configured to have a width in right and left directions corresponding to a width of the freezing chamber 140 in right and left directions. Sliding supporting portions 163 configured to slidably support the drawer 160 may be provided at both side walls of the freezing chamber 140. In the preferred embodiment, the sliding supporting portions 163 are implemented as rails 163. Alternatively, the sliding supporting portions 163 may be implemented by providing a roller (not shown) at the drawer 160, and by providing a roller supporting portion configured to support motion of the roller, at side walls of the freezing chamber 140 and/or an upper end of the accommodation portion 147.

[0054] The connecting member 170 configured to slide the freezing chamber door 145 and the drawer 160 in an interworking manner with each other may be provided between the freezing chamber door 145 and the drawer 160. More concretely, when the freezing chamber door 145 is withdrawn, the drawer 160 may be pulled by the connecting member 170 to be withdrawn together with the freezing chamber door 145. Accordingly, the freezing chamber door 145 and the drawer 160 may be simultaneously opened by one operation to open the freezing chamber door 145.

[0055] The connecting member 170 may be provided at the freezing chamber door 145.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connecting member 170 may include a body 171 having one end connected to the freezing chamber door 145, and a hooking portion 181 formed to be bent at another end of the body 171.

[0057] The body 171 may be formed in a rectangular plate shape. A hinge pin 175 may be provided at one end of the body 171. The hinge pin 175 may be implemented in plurality in number. Each of the hinge pins 175 may have one end connected to the body 171, and another end formed to be bent.

[0058] The connecting member 170 may be coupled to an upper central part of a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145. A connecting member supporting portion 151 configured to rotatably support the connecting member 170 may be formed at the freezing chamber door 145. The connecting member supporting portion 151 may be provided with hinge pin holes 152 formed at both ends thereof so as to rotatably insert the hinge pins 175 thereinto.

[0059] The connecting member 170 may be coupled to the connecting member supporting portion 151 so that the hooking portion 181 can be toward the lower side when the body 171 is horizontally arranged. Since the hooking portion 181 is arranged so as to contact a rear side of a front surface of the drawer 160, the hooking portion 181 forwardly pulls the front surface of the drawer 160 when the freezing chamber door 145 is withdrawn. As a result, the drawer 160 is forwardly withdrawn.

[0060] An insertion portion 155 configured to insert the hooking portion 181 of the connecting member 170 thereinto may be provided at a lower side of the connecting member supporting portion 151. The insertion portion 155 may be implemented as a slot configured to insert the hooking portion 181 thereinto.

[0061] When the connecting member 170 is not used, the hooking portion 181 may be inserted into the insertion portion 155 by downwardly rotating the connecting member 170. Accordingly, the connecting member 170 is not protruding form a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145, but is fixed into the insertion portion 155 not to be moved. This may prevent interference between the connecting member 170 and the periphery.

[0062] Hereinafter, the operation of the connecting member 170 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0063] When the freezing chamber door 145 and the drawer 160 are to be interworked with each other, as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting member 170 is upwardly rotated to arrange the hooking portion 181 on a rear side of a front surface of the drawer 160. Under this state, once the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly pulled to be withdrawn, the front surface of the drawer 160 is forwardly pulled by the hooking portion 181. Accordingly, the drawer 160 is withdrawn to the front side of the freezing chamber 140 in a sliding manner. This may allow the drawer 160 to be simultaneously forwardly withdrawn when the freezing chamber door 145 is opened, without requiring to forwardly withdraw the drawer 160 after opening the freezing chamber door 145.

[0064] On the contrary, when only the freezing chamber door 145 is to be withdrawn while the drawer 160 maintains an accommodated state in the freezing chamber 140, as shown in FIG. 6, the connecting member 170 is upwardly rotated to separate the hooking portion 181 from the drawer 160. Then, the connecting member 170 is downwardly rotated to contact the body 171 to a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145. Since the hooking portion 181 is in an accommodated state in the insertion portion 155, interference of the connecting member 170 with the periphery may be prevented. Under this state, once the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly pulled to be withdrawn, only the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly withdrawn while the drawer 160 maintains an accommodated state in the freezing chamber door 140.

[0065] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

[0066] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing main parts of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a region of the connecting member of the refrigerator of FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a view to explain the operation of a connecting member of FIG. 7, and FIG. 10 is a view showing a state that a freezing chamber door of FIG. 7 has opened.

[0067] The same or similar parts as/to those of the aforementioned embodiment will be provided with no reference numerals for convenience, and explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0068] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a refrigerator body 110 having a refrigerating chamber 130 and a freezing chamber 140 partitioned from each other by a partition wall 120; a freezing chamber door 145 configured to open and close the freezing chamber 140 by performing a sliding motion with respect to the refrigerator body 110; a drawer 190 accommodated in the freezing chamber 140 so as to be withdrawn in a sliding manner; and a connecting member 210 configured to connect the freezing chamber door 145 and the drawer 190 to each other.

[0069] An accommodation portion 147 configured to accommodate food items therein may be formed on a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145. The accommodation portion 147 may be formed to have a height lower than that of the freezing chamber 140. A drawer 190 may be installed above the accommodation portion 147 in the freezing chamber 140.

[0070] The drawer 190 may include a plurality of horizontal wires 192 disposed in a horizontal direction, and a plurality of vertical wires 194 disposed in a vertical direction. The drawer 190 may be formed in an approximate box shape having an opened upper side.

[0071] The connecting member 210 may be provided at the drawer 190. Alternatively, the connecting member 210 may be provided at a front surface of the drawer 190. Still alternatively, the connecting member 210 may be detachably coupled to the drawer 190.

[0072] The connecting member 210 may include a body 211 having one end coupled to the drawer 190, and a hooking portion 221 formed to be bent at another end of the body 211. A length and a width of the body 211 may be properly controlled.

[0073] At one end of the body 211, may be formed a wire coupling portion 213 having one opened side so as to be detachably coupled to the horizontal wires 192 or the vertical wires 194. A sectional surface of the wire coupling portion 213 may be formed in a circular ring shape having one opening 214.

[0074] The wire coupling portion 213 may be formed of an elastic member (e.g., synthetic resin member) which is elastically transformed so that the opening 214 can be outwardly widened when coupling the wires to the wire coupling portion 213 or when detaching the wires from the wire coupling portion 213.

[0075] Sizes of the wire coupling portion 213 and the opening 214 may be formed to correspond to diameters of the horizontal wires 192 or the vertical wires 194. In the preferred embodiment, the connecting member 210 is coupled to the horizontal wires 192 so as to be rotatable in upper and lower directions, the horizontal wires 192 horizontally arranged at an upper part of a front surface of the drawer 190.

[0076] A contact portion 230 configured to couple the hooking portion 221 of the connecting member 210 thereto, and to maintain the coupled state in back and forth directions may be provided at a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145.

[0077] The contact portion 230 may be implemented as a hook ring 230 protruding from a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145. The hook ring 230 may be formed in a `U` shape. Alternatively, the contact portion 230 may be implemented as a recess concavely formed at an upper surface of a protrusion so that the hooking portion 221 can be inserted thereinto by a predetermined depth from an upper side to a lower side, the protrusion formed at a rear surface of the freezing chamber door 145.

[0078] Hereinafter, the operation of the connecting member will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0079] When the drawer 190 is to be interworked with the freezing chamber door 145, as shown in FIG. 9, the connecting member 210 is upwardly rotated, thereby coupling the hooking portion 221 of the connecting member 210 to the contact portion 230 of the freezing chamber door 145. Accordingly, the drawer 190 is interworked with the freezing chamber door 145 to be in a slidable state. Once the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly pulled, the force applied to the freezing chamber door 145 is transmitted to the drawer 190 by the connecting member 210. Accordingly, the drawer 190 is withdrawn to the front side.

[0080] When the interworked state between the drawer 190 and the freezing chamber door 145 is to be released, as shown in FIG. 10, the connecting member 210 is upwardly rotated, thereby detaching the hooking portion 221 of the connecting member 210 from the contact portion 230 of the freezing chamber door 145.

[0081] The detached connecting member 210 is downwardly rotated with respect to the wires due to its self weight, thereby being in a vertical direction. Under this state, once the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly pulled, only the freezing chamber door 145 is forwardly withdrawn while the drawer 190 is in an accommodated state in the freezing chamber 140.

[0082] In the present invention, the freezing chamber door is configured to be slidable, and the drawer is provided in the freezing chamber. However, the refrigerating chamber door may be configured to be slidable, and the drawer may be provided in the refrigerating chamber.

[0083] In the present invention, one drawer is formed in the freezing chamber. However, the drawer may be formed in plurality in number, and the plurality of drawers may be configured to be interworked with the freezing chamber door by the connecting member.

[0084] In the present invention, the accommodation portion of the freezing chamber door, and the drawer are arranged in upper and lower directions. However, the accommodation portion of the freezing chamber door, and the drawer may be spacing from each other in right and left directions.

[0085] In the preferred embodiment with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, the connecting member is coupled to the horizontal wires of the drawer. However, the connecting member may be coupled to the vertical wires of the drawer.

[0086] As aforementioned, in the present invention, since the connecting member is configured to connect the door and the drawer to each other, the drawer is withdrawn when the door is withdrawn. This may enhance a user's convenience.

[0087] Furthermore, since the door is configured to be selectively interworked with the drawer, the door and the drawer are interworked with each other when using the drawer, while the door and the drawer are separately operated from each other when not using the drawer. This may also enhance a user's convenience.

[0088] The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. This description is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and/or alternative exemplary embodiments.

[0089] As the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator body having a cooling chamber; a cooling chamber door configured to open and close the cooling chamber by sliding in back and forth directions of the refrigerator body; a drawer accommodated in the cooling chamber so as to be slidable; and a connecting member configured to connect the cooling chamber door and the drawer to each other.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the connecting member is provided at one of the cooling chamber door and the drawer.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the connecting member is configured so as to be rotatable.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the connecting member comprises: a body; and a hooking portion formed at one end of the body.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the hooking portion is formed to be bent at the end of the body.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the connecting member is provided at the cooling chamber door.

7. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein an insertion portion configured to insert the hooking portion thereinto is provided at the cooling chamber door.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the connecting member is provided at the drawer.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the connecting member comprises: a body; and a hooking portion formed at an end of the body.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the hooking portion is formed to be bent at the end of the body.

11. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein a contact portion contacting the hooking portion is provided at the cooling chamber door.

12. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the body is detachably coupled to the drawer.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the drawer is provided with wires, and the body is provided with a wire coupling portion configured to elastically couple the wires thereto.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the wire coupling portion is configured to be elastically transformed, and a sectional surface thereof is in a circular ring shape having one open side.