REFRIGERATOR HAVING DRAWER

Abstract

A refrigerator having a drawer includes: a cooling chamber; a drawer body disposed to be movable in the cooling chamber and having a receiving space for receiving a storage object; a separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the drawer body while being moved in the drawer body; and a release preventing unit including a slot formed at the drawer body along a movement path of the separation plate and a holder combined with the slot. Because the release preventing unit including the slot and holder are provided, the separation plate cannot be arbitrarily released from the drawer body. Thus, the separation plate can be stably moved to variably divide the receiving space in the drawer body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Applications No. 10-2008-0024550 filed in Korea on Mar. 17, 2008 and No. 10-2008-0053331 filed in Korea on Jun. 5, 2008, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more particularly, to a refrigerator having a drawer accommodated in a cooling chamber such that it can be drawn out and storing storage items.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a refrigerator is a device including a cooling chamber to keep food items or the like at storage at a low temperature. The cooling chamber of the refrigerator may be divided into a freezing chamber maintaining a below-zero temperature and a refrigerating chamber maintaining an above-zero temperature according to the maintaining temperature.

The cooling chamber of the refrigerator includes a drawer that can be moved forward and backward of the refrigerator while accommodating storage objects such as vegetables or the like. In order to enhance space utilization of the drawer, a separation plate may be installed to divide internal space of the drawer.

In the related art refrigerator, grasped portions are formed at both upper portions of the drawer and grasping portions formed at both upper portions of the separation plate. The separation plate and the drawer are combined such that the grasping portions grasp the grasped portions.

In such a combined state, the separation plate is moved within the drawer with the grasping portions grasping the grasped portions to thereby variably divide the internal space of the drawer into desired spaces suitably.

However, according to the related art, only in the state that the separation plate and the drawer are combined at the grasping portions and grasped portions, the separation plate is moved, so the separation plate may be arbitrarily released. Then the user should combine the separation plate, and the grasping portions and/or the grasped portions may be damaged in the releasing and re-combining process.

In addition, because there is no means for restricting the volume of the space divided by the separation plate into a certain range, an additional configuration should be formed to obtain UL authentication and domestic requirements safety authentication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, in order to address the above matters, the various features described herein have been conceived. One aspect of the exemplary embodiments is to provide a refrigerator having a drawer with a structure in which a separation plate is not arbitrarily released from a drawer body.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a drawer maintaining the volume separated by a separation plate suitably for UL authentication and domestic requirements security authentication without having any configuration in addition to a structure for preventing the separation plate from being arbitrarily released.

This specification provides a refrigerator having a drawer including: a cooling chamber; a drawer body disposed to be movable in the cooling chamber and having a receiving space for receiving a storage object; a separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the drawer body while being moved in the drawer body; and a release preventing unit including a slot formed at the drawer body along a movement path of the separation plate and a holder combined with the slot.

The holder may include a holder connection part extending from the separation plate to penetrate the slot; and a holder cover disposed at an end portion of the holder connection part and preventing the holder from being released from the slot.

The holder cover may include at least one extending portion contacting with a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot of the drawer body.

The width of the holder cover may be larger by a certain size than that of the slot.

The holder may further include: a coupling member for coupling the holder and the holder connection part.

The coupling member may penetrate the holder cover and the holder connection part along the direction in which the slot is formed.

The holder may include at least one hook extending from the separation plate.

A head portion of the hook contacts with a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot after penetrating the slot.

A plurality of hooks are provided, and the respective head portions of the plurality of hooks have such an expelling shape that they face the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot.

The slot may have a certain length in the direction of the movement path of the separation plate at a central portion of the drawer body so that the volume of the receiving space divided by the separation plate can be maintained within a certain range.

The slot may have such a length that the volume of the receiving space divided by the separation plate does not exceed 60 liter.

The slot may be formed on the lower surface of the drawer body, and a water leakage preventing rib is formed to be protruded toward the interior of the drawer body at the circumference of the slot.

As described above, the refrigerator having a drawer according to the present invention has the following advantages.

First, because the release preventing unit including the slot and holder are provided, the separation plate cannot be arbitrarily released from the drawer body. Thus, the separation plate can be stably moved to variably divide the receiving space in the drawer body.

Second, because through holes formed at the holder cover and the holder connection part are formed along the formation direction of the slot, the coupling member can be allowed to easily penetrate the through holes by using the space of the slot, and thus, the release preventing unit can be easily coupled.

Third, because the movement of the separation plate is restricted by forming the slot with a length within a certain range, the volume of the space divided by the separation plate can be in conformity with the UL and domestic requirements safety standards.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a drawer according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing drawer that can be separated in FIG. 1,

FIG, 3 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a release preventing unit applied for the refrigerator having a drawer according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a configuration before the release preventing unit applied for the refrigerator having a drawer is coupled according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a configuration that the release preventing unit of FIG. 5 is being coupled;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a configuration after the release preventing unit of FIG. 5 is coupled;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a separated drawer of the refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A refrigerator having a drawer according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a drawer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing drawer that can be separated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a release preventing unit applied for the refrigerator having a drawer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes main body comprised of a storage chamber 11 and a door 12 for opening and closing the storage chamber 11, and a refrigerating cycle (not shown) for generating cold air supplied to the storage chamber 11.

Here, the main body forms an external appearance of the refrigerator 10 with a substantially cubic shape, and the main body includes the storage chamber 11 and the door 12 for opening and closing the storage chamber 11.

The storage chamber 11 includes a refrigerating chamber 11a for keeping food items in storage at a low temperature of about 1° C. below zero to 3° C. above zero and a freezing chamber 11b for freezing food items at 20° C. to 16° C. below zero to keep them in storage.

The refrigerating chamber 11a and the freezing chamber 11b are formed with one side thereof opened to allow the storage items to be taken in or out, and the opened side is closed by the door 12. The door 12 includes a refrigerating chamber door 12a and a freezing chamber door 12b.

The positions of the refrigerating chamber 11a and the freezing chamber 11b and the form of the door 12 may vary according to types of refrigerators.

FIG. 1 shows an example that the refrigerating chamber 11a is provided at an upper portion, the freezing chamber 11b is provided at a lower portion, the refrigerating chamber door 12a is provided to be rotated in both directions at the front side of the refrigerating chamber 11a, and the freezing chamber door 12b is drawn out to the front side of the main body.

Meanwhile, the refrigerator 10 may include receiving units 16 in various forms to receive storage items.

The receiving units 16 are provided in the refrigerating chamber 11a, the freezing chamber 11b, the refrigerating chamber door 12a, and the freezing chamber door 12b.

The receiving units 16 may include a shelf 16a horizontally installed to allow storage items to be put thereon and received therein, a door basket 16b installed on the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door 12a to receive food items or the like, and a drawer 100 coupled with the freezing chamber door 12b and taken in or out together with the freezing chamber door 12b.

The refrigerator 10 may include a dispenser 13, a home bar 14, or the like, for the user convenience.

The dispenser 13 is generally provided on the front side of the door 12 to allow the user to take ice or water stored in the storage chamber 11 without having to open the door 12.

The home bar 14 is generally provided at the front side of the door 12 like the dispenser 13, and allowing frequently taken storage items to be taken out without opening the door 12.

A lighting device 15 may be further provided within the storage chamber 11 to illuminate the interior of the storage chamber 12 to facilitate checking of storage items.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the refrigerator 100 includes a drawer body 110 disposed to be movable within the refrigerator and receiving storage objects such as vegetables, a separation plate 150, and a release preventing unit 200.

The drawer body 110 forms a space for receiving the storage object therein. A plurality of cold air introducing holes 111 may be formed to allow cold air introduced into the refrigerator to be introduced into the receiving space.

Reference numeral 113 is a support, and a plurality of supports are formed on the lower end of the drawer body 110 and support the drawer body 110 such that the drawer body 110 maintains a stable posture.

The separation plate 150 variably divides the receiving space of the drawer body 110 while being moved within the drawer body 110. In detail, the separation plate 150 divides the receiving space of the drawer body 110 into two parts while being moved along a lengthwise direction of the drawer body 110.

Here, the single separation plate 150 is applied to the drawer 100, but this is merely illustrative and a plurality of separation plates may be provided according to a necessity of dividing the space.

Reference numeral 151 denotes cold air flow holes formed on the separation plate 150, allowing a cold air flow in the storage space.

When the separation plate 150 is moved to divide the space in the drawer body 110, some parts guide the movement of the separation plate 150 to allow the separation plate 150 to be stably moved.

In detail, at least one guide protrusion 112 is formed along a movement path of the separation plate 150 on the bottom surface of the drawer body 110. A guide recess 152 is formed on the separation plate 150 such that it corresponds to the guide protrusion 112.

With such configuration, the separation plate 150 can be moved with the guide recess 152 engaged with the guide protrusion 112, so the separation plate 150 can be stably moved.

In addition, grasped portions 120 and 130 are formed on upper end portion of the drawer body 110. The grasped portions 120 and 130 may be formed to be thicker than other portions of the drawer body 110. Grasping portions 160 and 170 are formed on the separation plate 150 such that they correspond to the grasped portions 120 and 130. The grasping portions 160 and 170 may have a hook-like shape to cover the grasped portions 120 and 130.

With such a configuration, the separation plate 150 may be moved with the grasped portions 120 and 130 engaged with the grasping portions 160 and 170, so the separation plate 150 can be stably moved, and when the separation plate 150 is moved, it cannot be arbitrarily released.

In this embodiment, the release preventing unit 200 is disposed, so that the separation plate 150 can be moved in the drawer body 110 and its arbitrary releasing can be prevented. This will now be described in detail.

The release preventing unit 200 includes a slot 210 formed on the drawer body 110 along the movement path of the separation plate 150 and a holder 220 combined with the slot 210.

The slot 210 is formed on the drawer body 110 along the movement path of the separation plate 150, and because the separation plate 150 can be moved to both end portions of the drawer body 110, the slot 210 can be also formed to extend to both end portions of the drawer body 110.

The holder 220 includes a holder connection part 230 and a holder cover 250.

The holder connection part 230 extends fro the separation plate 150 and penetrates through the slot 210. The holder connection part 230 may be smaller than the width of the slot 210 so allow the separation plate 150 to be smoothly moved.

Reference numeral 231 is a through hole formed on the holder connection part 230.

The holder cover 250 is disposed at an end portion of the holder connection part 230 to prevent the holder 220 from being released from the slot 210.

In detail, the holder cover 250 includes a holder connection part mounting portion 251 on which the holder connection part 230 is mounted, and first and second extending portions 257 and 256 extending in a widthwise direction of the slot 210 from the holder connection part mounting portion 251. First and second support plates 252 and 253 are formed at front and rear sides of the holder connection part mounting portion 251 along the direction in which the slot 210 is formed. The first and second support plates 252 and 253 include first and second through holes 254 and 255 formed at mutually corresponding positions.

The first and second extending portions 257 and 256 are portions contacting with the peripheral portions of the slot 210 of the drawer body 110. As shown in FIG. 2, the first and second extending portions 257 and 255 contact with the peripheral portions of the slot 210, an upward movement of the separation plate 150 can be restricted. Thus, the separation plate 150 cannot be arbitrarily released from the drawer body 110.

Namely, with the first and second extending portions 257 and 256, the holder cover 250 may have a width larger by a certain size than that of the slot 210, so that the separation plate 150 can be prevented from being released arbitrarily.

Here, both the first and second extending portions 257 and 256 are applied, but this is merely illustrative and only one extending portion may be applied or more extending portions may be applied.

The holder 220 may further include a holder coupling bolt 240 and a holder coupling nut 241, coupling members for coupling the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230.

After the holder connection part 230 penetrates the slot 210, the holder coupling bolt 240 sequentially penetrates the first through hole 254, the connection part through hole 231 and the second through hole 255. Thereafter, the holder coupling nut 241 is coupled to an end of the holder coupling bolt 240 to couple the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230.

Here, the first through hole 254, the connection part through hole 231 and the second through hole 255 may be formed along the direction in which the slot 210 is formed. Then, the holder coupling bolt 240 can couple the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230 along the formation direction of the slot 210, so the coupling member can be easily coupled by using the space of the slot 210.

Here, the holder coupling bolt 240 and the holder coupling nut 241 are proposed as the coupling members for coupling the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230, but this is merely illustrative, and a screw or the like penetrating the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230 may be applied. Of course, the holder cover 250 and the holder connection part 230 may be coupled by welding, bonding, or the like.

According to the refrigerator 100 having the drawer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, because of the presence of the release preventing unit 200 including the slot 210 and the holder 220, the separation plate 150 cannot be arbitrarily released from the drawer body 110. Thus, the separation plate 150 can be stably moved to variably divide the receiving space in the drawer body 110.

A refrigerator having a drawer according to another embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In the following description, any contents and explanations that have already been made for the first embodiment will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a configuration before the release preventing-unit applied for the refrigerator having a drawer is coupled according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a configuration that the release preventing unit of FIG. 5 is being coupled, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a configuration after the release preventing unit of FIG. 5 is coupled.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, in the second embodiment of the present invention, a holder 320 includes first and second hooks 321 and 322 extending from the separation plate 150.

A head portion of the first hook 321 is formed to contact with the peripheral portion of the slot 210 after penetrating the slot 210.

Here, the holder 320 may have one hook or a plurality of hooks as described above.

In this embodiment, the head portions of the first and second hooks 321 and 322 may be formed in the opposite direction to face the peripheral portions of the slot 210.

The operation of the holder 320 will now be described.

First, FIG. 4 shows a state before the first hook 321 and the second hook 322 are coupled with the slot 210.

In this state, when the separation plate 150 is lowered, the first and second hooks 321 and 322 are inserted into the slot 210, and accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the head portions of the first and second hooks 321 and 322 are pressed while contacting with inner walls of the slot 210 so as to be deformed to be close to each other.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, when the separation plate is continuously lowered and the head portions of the first and second hooks 321 and 322 completely penetrate through the slot 210, the first and second hooks 321 and 322 are restored to their original state according to a restoration force of the first and second hooks 321 and 322. Then, the head portions of the first and second hooks 321 and 322 are disposed to contact with the peripheral portions of the slot 210, so the separation plate 150 can be prevented from being arbitrarily released.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a separated drawer of the refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 8.

With reference to FIG. 8, a slot 410 is formed on a lower surface of the drawer body 110. The slot 410 has a certain length in a lengthwise direction on the lower surface and is positioned at the center of the drawer body 110.

Here, preferably, the certain length is a length allowing the separation plate 150 to be moved within a range that the volume of the receiving space divided by the separation plate 150 does not exceed 60 liter, the UL and domestic requirements safety authentication standards.

With reference to FIG. 9, in the third embodiment of the present invention, a water leakage preventing rib 420 is formed to be protruded toward the interior of the drawer body 110 at the circumference of the slot 410 formed on the lower surface of the drawer body 110.

The water leakage preventing rib 420 prevents condensed water condensed at an inner surface of the drawer body 110 from flowing out through the slot 410 formed on the lower surface of the drawer body 110.

As the present invention 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 having a drawer comprising:

a cooling chamber;

a drawer body disposed to be movable in the cooling chamber and having a receiving space for receiving a storage object;

a separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the drawer body while being moved in the drawer body; and

a release preventing unit including a slot formed at the drawer body along a movement path of the separation plate and a holder combined with the slot.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises:

a holder connection part extending from the separation plate to penetrate the slot; and

a holder cover disposed at an end portion of the holder connection part and preventing the holder from being released from the slot.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the holder cover comprises at least one extending portion contacting with a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot of the drawer body.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the width of the holder cover is larger by a certain size than that of the slot.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2, the holder further comprises a coupling member for coupling the holder and the holder connection part.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the coupling member penetrates the holder cover and the holder connection part along the direction in which the slot is formed.

7. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the holder comprises at least one hook extending from the separation plate.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein a head portion of the hook contacts with a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot after penetrating the slot.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein a plurality of hooks are provided, and the respective head portions of the plurality of hooks have such an expelling shape that they face the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the slot.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the slot has a certain length in the direction of the movement path of the separation plate at a central portion of the drawer body so that the volume of the receiving space divided by the separation plate can be maintained within a certain range.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the slot has such a length that the volume of the receiving space divided by the separation plate does not exceed 60 liter.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the slot is formed on the lower surface of the drawer body, and a water leakage preventing rib is formed to be protruded toward the interior of the drawer body at the circumference of the slot.