Refrigerator

Abstract

A cold storage box is provided. The cold storage box (1) has: a main body portion (2) having an opening portion (21) and capable of housing an object to be stored in an interior; a lid portion (3) that opens and closes the opening portion (21) by moving with respect to the main body portion (2), one of the main body portion or the lid portion having an engaged portion, the other of the main body portion (2) or the lid portion (3) having: an engaging portion capable of moving with respect to the engaged portion and holding the lid portion in a closed state by engaging with the engaged portion; a main operation portion (31) that performs an operation to move the engaging portion between a locked state in which the engaging portion engages with the engaged portion and a free state in which the engagement is released; and a sub operation portion (32) that restricts an operation of the main operation portion from a state corresponding to the free state to a state corresponding to the locked state. Accordingly, the use convenience of the locking device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] As a refrigerated box for storing fish and the like, there is, for example, a refrigerated box described in Patent Document 1. This refrigerated box (the “cold box” in Patent Document 1) has a box body and a lid for opening and closing, and also has a locking device (the “opening and closing device” in Patent Document 1) for keeping the lid in the closed state.

[0003] [Existing Technical Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Invention Patent Publication No. 4963258 Summary of the Invention

[0005] [The technical problem that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In this type of refrigerator, the lid cannot be opened because the locking device can lock it when the user does not want it to. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of ease of use.

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator with improved ease of use of the locking device.

[0008] [Technical solutions used to solve technical problems]

[0009] The refrigerator of the present invention has a main body and a lid. The main body has an opening and is capable of storing items inside. The lid moves relative to the main body to open and close the opening. One of the main body or the lid has a locking portion, and the other of the main body or the lid has a locking portion, a main operating portion, and a secondary operating portion. The locking portion is movable relative to the locking portion and holds the lid in a closed state by locking it into the locking portion. The main operating portion is operated to move the locking portion between a locked state and a free state. The locked state is when the locking portion is locked into the locking portion, and the free state is when the locking is released. The secondary operating portion restricts the operation of the main operating portion from changing from a state corresponding to the free state to a state corresponding to the locked state.

[0010] According to this structure, the secondary operation unit restricts the operation of changing from the state corresponding to the free state to the state corresponding to the locked state of the primary operation unit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the locking part from becoming locked without the user's consent.

[0011] Furthermore, it can be configured such that: the main body has an upwardly opening portion, the cover portion has an engaging portion extending downward and having a movement limiting portion facing towards one side of the movement range of the engaged portion, thereby limiting the upward movement of the cover portion by engaging with the engaged portion; the engaging portion moves to become the locked state and the free state, and also becomes the avoidance state; the free state is the state in which the engaging portion moves away from the engaged portion in such a way that the movement limiting portion faces the engaged portion; the avoidance state is the state in which the engaging portion moves away from the engaged portion by making the movement limiting portion face away from the engaged portion.

[0012] According to this structure, when the user accidentally operates the secondary operating unit before closing the cover, the engaging part enters a non-intercepting state, and the movement limiting part does not engage with the engaged part. Therefore, even if the cover is closed in this state, the engaging part will not become locked.

[0013] Furthermore, it can be configured such that: the engaging portion is fixedly disposed on the main body portion, the engaging portion rotates relative to the main body of the cover portion, and its rotation range is set to extend from the near front side past the engaging portion to the depth side with the engaging portion as a reference.

[0014] According to this structure, by setting the rotation range of the engaging part relative to the fixedly positioned engaging part, a locked state, a free state, and an avoidance state can be set. Therefore, an unwanted locking state can be prevented with a simple structure.

[0015] Furthermore, it can be configured such that: the main operating part is disposed on the cover in a vertical direction relative to the cover, and the auxiliary operating part is disposed above the main operating part in a vertical direction relative to the main operating part. When the cover is in the closed state, when the auxiliary operating part is moved from top to bottom, the main operating part also moves from top to bottom together with the auxiliary operating part, and the engaging part becomes the locked state.

[0016] According to this structure, when the secondary operating part moves from top to bottom, the main operating part also moves from top to bottom together with the secondary operating part. Therefore, it is possible to keep the cover in the closed state in one operation.

[0017] Furthermore, it can be configured such that the main operating part is disposed on the cover in a horizontal direction relative to the cover, and when the cover is in an open state and the cover is closed while the auxiliary operating part is being moved, the engaging part is in the avoidance state, thereby maintaining a state in which the cover is allowed to move relative to the main body.

[0018] According to this structure, even when the cover is closed while the auxiliary operating part is moved, the locking part will not keep the cover in the closed state. Therefore, it can prevent the cover from becoming locked even in case of user error.

[0019] Furthermore, it can be configured such that the moving direction of the main operating unit and the moving direction of the auxiliary operating unit are in the same direction.

[0020] Based on this structure, since the movement direction is the same, the operation method is easy to understand, thus providing good operability for the user.

[0021] Furthermore, it can be configured such that the moving direction of the main operating unit and the moving direction of the auxiliary operating unit are different.

[0022] According to this structure, for example, when the cover is closed forcefully, even if the secondary operating unit moves due to its own weight due to inertia, the main operating unit can suppress the movement of the main operating unit due to its own weight because the direction of movement of the main operating unit is different from that of the secondary operating unit.

[0023] [Invention Effects]

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the engaging portion from becoming locked when the user does not want it to. Therefore, since the locking device only operates when the user operates it, it is very convenient to use. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention with the handle unit in a free state (wherein, the main body is shown only in outline by double-dotted lines).

[0026] Figure 2 This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the refrigerator, showing the area around the operating section and the handle unit in a state corresponding to the locked state.

[0027] Figure 3 This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the area around the operating section of the refrigerator, with the handle unit in a state corresponding to the avoidance position.

[0028] Figure 4 It is the state of the locking part (locking part) of the refrigerator relative to the fixed shaft (locked part), wherein (a) represents the free state of the lid in the closed state, (b) represents the locked state of the lid in the closed state, and (c) represents the clearance state of the lid in the open state.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the operating part of the refrigerator, showing the state in which the main operating part (main handle) cannot be pressed in, corresponding to the free state of the handle unit.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the operating section of the refrigerator, showing the state in which the main operating section (main handle) can be pressed in by pressing in the sub-operating section (sub-handle).

[0031] Figure 7 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the operating section of the refrigerator, showing the state after the main operating section (main handle) is inserted.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a table showing the operating status of the refrigerator.

[0033] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image] 1: Refrigerator; 2: Main body; 21: Opening; 22: Engaging part, fixing shaft; 3: Cover; 3A: Main body of the cover; 31: Main handle (main operating part); 311: Main handle operating part; 312: Main handle rotating shaft; 32: Secondary handle (secondary operating part); 321: Secondary handle operating part; 322: Secondary handle rotating shaft; 323: Protrusion; 33: Engaging part, locking component; 331: Rotating shaft; 332: Movement limiting part, claw part; 34: Secondary handle abutting part; L: Locking device; LU: Handle unit. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Next, an embodiment will be described to illustrate the present invention. Figure 1 This indicates the shape of the refrigerator 1 in this embodiment. However, in Figure 1 In the middle, the appearance of the main body is only shown as an outline using double-dotted lines.

[0035] Similar to existing refrigerators, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment has a main body 2 and a lid 3. The main body 2 has an upward-opening opening 21, which allows for the storage of items. The lid 3 moves relative to the main body 2 to open and close the opening 21. Furthermore, as... Figure 4 As shown in (a) to (c), a locking device L for keeping the lid 3 in the closed state is provided throughout the main body 2 and the lid 3. The refrigerator 1 is rectangular when viewed from above. In this embodiment, the lid 3 is designed to be "double-opening". In this embodiment, the movement of the lid 3 relative to the main body 2 can be, for example, such that it moves upward in a generally parallel state toward the opening 21, so that the lid 3 is completely separated from the main body 2. Alternatively, this movement can also be such that one of the two parallel long sides in the shape viewed from above functions as a hinge, while on the other long side, the lid 3 is lifted and rotated. Through this movement, the lid 3 can be in both a closed and open state.

[0036] like Figure 4As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional shapes of (a) and (b), the main body 2 has a fixing shaft 22 that serves as a locking portion. The fixing shaft 22 is fixedly provided to the main body 2. In this embodiment, although not shown, the fixing shaft 22 is provided along the two long sides of the opening 21 of the main body 2. On each long side, two fixing shafts 22 are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the length direction.

[0037] The cover 3 has a main handle (main operating part) 31 and a secondary handle (secondary operating part) 32 as a handle unit LU for user operation. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the main handle 31 and the secondary handle 32 are located at the center of the long side of both ends of the cover portion 3, i.e., at the same position.

[0038] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional shapes of (a) to (c), the cover portion 3 has a locking member 33 as an engaging part. This locking member 33 is movable relative to the fixed shaft 22 of the main body portion 2 and engages with the fixed shaft 22. The locking member 33, in cooperation with the fixed shaft 22, keeps the cover portion 3 in a closed state. That is, the locking device L has a fixed shaft 22 provided on the main body portion 2 and a locking member 33 provided on the cover portion 3. The locking member 33 rotates relative to the main body 3A of the cover portion 3. The rotation range of the locking member 33 is set to extend from the front side past the fixed shaft 22 to the depth side with reference to the fixed shaft 22 of the main body portion 2. As shown, the locking member 33 extends downward with reference to the rotation center of the locking member 33, i.e., the rotation shaft 331, when the cover portion 3 is horizontal.

[0039] The locking member 33 has a claw portion 332 as a movement limiting part. The claw portion 332 faces one side of the range of rotation relative to the fixed shaft 22. The claw portion 332 is configured, for example, as follows: Figure 4 As shown in (a) to (c), the shape facing to the left in the illustration restricts the upward movement of the cover 3 by engaging with the fixed shaft 22. That is, when the claw 332 is engaged with the fixed shaft 22, even if the user wants to lift the cover 3, the engagement cannot be released by human effort alone, and therefore the cover 3 cannot be lifted.

[0040] Locking component 33 Figure 4 The locking state shown in (b) is the same as Figure 4 The device rotates between the free states shown in (a), where the locked state is engaged with the fixed shaft 22, and the free state is the state where the engagement is released. The free state is when the locking member 33 is located near the front of the fixed shaft 22 within the rotation range. That is, the claw 332 of the locking member 33 is in a state where it is away from the fixed shaft 22 in a manner facing away from it. Figure 4In the state shown in (a), the fixed shaft 22 is located on the left and the claw 332 is located on the right. Therefore, the engagement of the locking member 33 with respect to the fixed shaft 22 is released. The locked state is the state in which the locking member 33 is located near the front side (left side of the figure) with respect to the fixed shaft 22 within the rotation range and is engaged with the fixed shaft 22. In addition to being in the locked state and the free state, the locking member 33 also becomes Figure 4 The avoidance state shown in (c). The avoidance state is when the locking component 33 passes over the fixed axis 22 within the range of rotation. Figure 4 (not shown in (c)) is in a state on the depth side (left side of the diagram) relative to the fixed shaft 22. That is, the claw 332 of the locking member 33 is in a state away from the fixed shaft 22. Figure 4 In the state shown in (c), with the cover 3 closed, the fixed shaft 22 (not shown itself since the cover 3 is shown in the open state) is located on the right, and the claw 332 is located on the left. In this embodiment, by setting the rotation range of the locking member 33 relative to the fixed shaft 22, a locked state, a free state, and a clearance state can be set. Therefore, an unwanted locking state can be achieved with a simple structure.

[0041] like Figures 1-3 , Figures 5-7 As shown, the main handle 31 is disposed on the cover 3 such that it moves vertically relative to the cover 3. More specifically, the part of the main handle 31 operated by the user, namely the main handle operating part 311, moves vertically. When the main handle operating part 311 is operated, the main handle 31 rotates as a whole relative to the main body 3A of the cover 3 about the main handle rotation axis 312. The main handle 31 and the locking member 33 are physically connected by a rod-shaped body or the like, and move (rotate) together by operating the main handle 31. Therefore, when the main handle 31 is moved, the locking member 33 is activated. In addition, the main handle 31 and the locking member 33 may also be an integral part. When the main handle 31 is operated by the user and the cover 3 is closed, the locking member 33 moves between a locked state and a free state. In addition, when the cover 3 is open, the locking member 33 moves between a clearance state and a free state.

[0042] The secondary handle 32 is positioned above the main handle 31, moving vertically relative to it. More specifically, the user-operated portion of the secondary handle 32, namely the secondary handle operating part 321, moves vertically. The secondary handle 32 rotates as a whole relative to the main handle 31 around the secondary handle rotation axis 322. Furthermore, the secondary handle 32 is subjected to an upward force by a spring (not shown) relative to the main handle 31, and is located at the upper end of its rotation range except when pressed by the user. The secondary handle operating part 321 is positioned to cover the upper part of the main handle operating part 311. Therefore, the main handle operating part 311 is directly operated by the user when moving upward, but is indirectly operated via the secondary handle operating part 321 when moving downward. The main handle 31 and the secondary handle 32 (more specifically, the respective handle operating parts 311 and 321) move in the same direction. Because the movement direction is the same, the operation method is easy to understand, resulting in good user operability. The secondary handle 32 restricts the operation of the main handle 31 from changing from a free state to a locked state. This restriction prevents the locking member 33 from locking unintentionally. This restriction also prevents the main handle 31 from moving downwards. To restrict the movement of the main handle 31, a downwardly protruding portion 323 is integrally provided on the secondary handle 32. Correspondingly, a secondary handle abutment portion 34 is provided on the main body 3A of the cover portion 3.

[0043] like Figure 5 As shown, with the end portion (left side of the illustration) of the secondary handle 32 positioned above the short side of the cover portion 3, the lower end face of the protrusion 323 abuts against the upper end face of the secondary handle abutment portion 34. Therefore, even if the user presses the main handle 31 downwards, the main handle 31 will not move.

[0044] Next, as Figure 6 As shown, when the user presses the secondary handle 32 downwards and the end portion of the secondary handle 32 along the short side of the cover portion 3 (the portion on the left in the figure) moves downwards, the lower end face of the protrusion 323 located on the opposite side of the secondary handle rotation axis 322 moves away from the upper end face of the secondary handle abutment portion 34. Accordingly, when the user presses the main handle 31 downwards, as... Figure 7 As shown, the main handle 31 rotates around the main handle rotation axis 312, causing the central part of the main handle 31 (the part on the right in the figure) along the short side of the cover 3 to move downward.

[0045] Figures 5-7 The operation of the main handle 31 and the auxiliary handle 32 is the same whether the cover 3 is closed or open.

[0046] With the cover 3 in the closed state, when the secondary handle 32 is moved from top to bottom, the main handle 31 also moves from top to bottom along with it, and the handle unit LU moves from... Figure 1The state shown becomes Figure 2 The state is shown. Because both handles 31 and 32 move together from top to bottom, the user can operate the locking device L in one action. Simultaneously, the locking member 33 rotates and contacts the fixed shaft 22, and the pawl 332 engages with the fixed shaft 22. Therefore, as shown... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the locking component 33 is in the locked state. Thus, the user can lock the device simply by pressing the secondary handle 32. Conversely, to unlock the cover 3 and open it, the user simply pulls the main handle 31 upwards (moving it upwards from below).

[0047] On the other hand, when the cover 3 is in the open state, when the secondary handle 32 is moved from top to bottom, the main handle 31 also moves from top to bottom along with it. Up to this point, it is the same as the closed state. However, when the cover 3 is in the open state, the locking member 33 does not contact the fixed shaft 22, therefore, it can rotate further beyond the locked position. Therefore, as... Figure 4 As shown in (c), the locking component 33 is in the avoidance state. The handle unit LU becomes Figure 3 The state shown.

[0048] Figure 8 The diagram illustrates the states of the cover 3 (shown in a simplified diagram) and the locking member 33 corresponding to user actions. The previous section summarizes the normal operation. Even when the cover 3 is closed, the locking member 33 is in a free state. When the secondary handle 32 is pressed (shown in a triangle diagram), the locking member 33 enters the locked state.

[0049] On the other hand, the following section summarizes the unpredictable actions. With the cover 3 open, if the user accidentally presses the secondary handle 32, the locking member 33 enters a yielding state. At this time, even when the cover 3 is closed, the locking member 33 remains in the yielding state. That is, it will not lock, and the locking member 33 remains away from the fixed shaft 22. Therefore, when the cover 3 is closed, the locking member 33 will not collide with the fixed shaft 22 and break. Furthermore, when the user holds the main handle 31 again and lifts the cover 3, the locking member 33 returns to a free state because the main handle 31 is pulled upwards as it is lifted. Subsequent actions are the same as normal actions; even when the cover 3 is closed, the locking member 33 remains in a free state. And, when the secondary handle 32 is pressed, the locking member 33 enters a locked state.

[0050] In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, configured as described above, the locking device L only operates when the user operates it. Therefore, for example, simply moving the lid 3 downwards to align it with the main body 2 will not lock it. Thus, even when the lid 3 must be opened and closed frequently, closing the lid 3 with the locking member 33 in a free state prevents cold air from easily escaping from the main body 2. Furthermore, even if the user does not always reach for the handle 31, the lid 3 can be opened simply by placing a finger on any part of the lid 3, such as the end, and lifting it. Therefore, it is very convenient to use.

[0051] The present invention has been described above as an embodiment of the invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0052] For example, the cover 3 in the above embodiment is "double-opening", but in the cover 3, it is also possible to achieve "single-opening" by providing a hinge that cannot be separated from the main body 2 on one of the two long sides of the shape when viewed from above.

[0053] In addition, regarding the locking device L, the locking device L of the above embodiment has a fixing shaft 22 provided on the main body 2 and a locking member 33 provided on the cover 3, but it is also possible to do the opposite, with the main body 2 having a locking member and the cover 3 having a fixing shaft.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the engaging portion is provided as the locking member 33, and the engaged portion is provided as the fixing shaft 22. Additionally, the movement limiting portion that restricts the upward movement of the cover 3 by engaging with the engaged portion (fixed shaft 22) is a claw portion 332 provided on the locking member 33. However, the shape and engaging method of these portions are not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made to implement them.

[0055] Furthermore, while the main handle 31 and the secondary handle 32 move in the same direction in the above embodiment, they can also move in opposite directions. In such a configuration, for example, when the cover 3 is closed forcefully, even if the secondary handle 32 moves due to its own weight, the main handle 31 moves in a different direction. Therefore, it is advantageous to suppress the movement of the main handle 31 due to its own weight.

[0056] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the secondary handle 32 has a protrusion 323 integrally formed to restrict the operation of the main handle 31 from a state corresponding to the free state to a state corresponding to the locked state. That is, the protrusion 323 is part of the secondary handle 32. However, the mechanism for restricting the main handle 31 is not limited to this. For example, it can be formed separately from the secondary handle 32, and move relative to the main body 3A in the cover portion 3, such as protruding, in conjunction with the operation of the secondary handle 32, thereby preventing the main handle 31 from moving to the state corresponding to the locked state, and various structures can be formed.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The device has a main body and a cover. The main body has an opening and is capable of storing items inside. The cover moves relative to the main body to open and close the opening. One of the main body or the cover has a locking portion. The other side of the main body or the cover has an engaging part, a main operating part, and a secondary operating part, wherein... The engaging part can move relative to the engaged part, and by engaging with the engaged part, the cover is kept in a closed state; The main operating unit operates the engaging part to move the engaging part between a locked state and a free state, wherein the locked state is the state in which the engaging part is engaged with the engaged part, and the free state is the state in which the engagement is released; The secondary operating unit restricts the operation of the primary operating unit from changing from a state corresponding to the free state to a state corresponding to the locked state, and moves the primary operating unit together by operating the secondary operating unit, so that the engaging part moves to the locked state.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body portion has an opening that opens upwards. The cover has the engaging portion. The engaging portion extends downward and has a movement limiting portion facing one side of the range of movement of the engaging portion relative to the engaged portion, thereby limiting the upward movement of the cover portion by engaging with the engaged portion. The engaging portion moves to achieve the locked state and the free state, and also to a yielding state. The free state is the state in which the engaging part moves away from the engaging part in such a way that the movement restricting part faces the engaging part. The avoidance state is the state in which the engaging part moves away from the engaging part by causing the movement restriction part to turn away from the engaging part.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The engaging portion is fixedly disposed on the main body portion. The engaging portion rotates relative to the main body of the cover portion, and its rotation range is set to extend from the front side past the engaging portion to the depth side, with the engaged portion as the reference.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The main operating unit is disposed on the cover in a manner that allows it to move vertically relative to the cover. The auxiliary operating unit is positioned above the main operating unit in a vertically movable manner relative to the main operating unit. When the cover is in the closed state, when the secondary operating part is moved from top to bottom, the main operating part also moves from top to bottom together with the secondary operating part, and the engaging part becomes locked.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The main operating unit is disposed on the cover in a manner that allows it to move horizontally relative to the cover. When the cover is in the open state and is closed while the auxiliary operating part is being moved, the engaging part enters the avoidance state, thereby maintaining a state that allows the cover to move relative to the main body.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The main operating unit moves in the same direction as the auxiliary operating unit.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The main operating unit moves in a different direction than the auxiliary operating unit.

Images