Storage container for refrigerator, and refrigerator
The refrigerator storage container addresses usability issues by employing a rotatable lid mechanism that simplifies opening and closing, enhancing user experience while preventing damage to the support structure.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023202875
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-11
AI Technical Summary
Conventional refrigerator storage containers require complex operations for opening and closing the lid, which affects usability.
The storage container features a lid member that is rotatably locked to a shaft portion using a bearing portion, allowing easy opening and closing without the need to completely separate the lid from the container body. The lid can be detached by applying an external force beyond the upper limit opening position, causing the bearing portion to elastically deform and release its lock.
This configuration simplifies the opening and closing process, improving usability by eliminating the need for complex separation and reattachment of the lid, while also preventing damage to the support mechanism.
Smart Images

Figure 2025088275000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator storage container disposed in a storage chamber of a refrigerator and a refrigerator in which the refrigerator storage container is disposed in the storage chamber.
Background Art
[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a refrigerator storage container is disposed in a storage chamber of a refrigerator. The refrigerator storage container can store stored items such as fresh foods.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] The refrigerator storage container disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a container body member capable of storing stored items therein and a lid member that closes an opening formed on the upper surface of the container body member. When opening and closing the opening, the lid member is configured to be completely separated from the container body member. In this configuration, when the user opens the lid member, it is necessary to separate the lid member from the container body member, and a space for placing the separated lid member must be secured. On the other hand, when closing the lid member, the user needs to bring the separated lid member and fix the lid member to the container body member. As described above, in the conventional refrigerator storage container, improvement is required particularly in terms of usability.
[0005] The present embodiment provides a technical solution that can easily open and close the lid member and improve usability.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The storage container for a refrigerator according to this embodiment is a storage container disposed in the storage compartment of the refrigerator, and includes a container body member having an opening on the upper surface and capable of storing stored items therein, and a lid member for closing the opening. The lid member is provided on the upper part of the container body member by locking a bearing portion provided on the lid member to a shaft portion provided on the container body member, and is rotatably provided in a closing direction for closing the opening and an opening direction for opening the opening. The bearing portion has an opening portion in a portion on the opening side. When an external force for rotating the lid member further in the opening direction than the upper limit opening position, which is the maximum rotation position in the opening direction, is applied to the lid member in a state where the lid member is rotated to the upper limit opening position, a portion of the bearing portion above the opening portion is elastically deformed and the state where the bearing portion is locked to the shaft portion is released, and the lid member is detached from the container body member.
[0007] The refrigerator according to this embodiment includes a storage compartment, and the storage container for a refrigerator according to this embodiment is disposed in the storage compartment.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008]
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MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0009] Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments related to a refrigerator will be described with reference to the drawings. In the plurality of embodiments, substantially the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.
[0010] (First Embodiment) The refrigerator 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 forms a plurality of storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 inside a rectangular box-shaped heat insulation box body 11 that constitutes its outer shell. Various storage items such as foods can be stored inside the storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the heat insulation box body 11 has a configuration in which a heat insulating material is provided between an inner box and an outer box. As the heat insulating material constituting the heat insulation box body 11, for example, various heat insulating materials such as a vacuum insulation panel, foamed urethane, and a heat insulation molded body formed of a heat insulating material can be applied.
[0011] The storage chamber 12 is, in this case, a refrigerated chamber maintained within the temperature range of the refrigerated temperature zone. Hereinafter, the storage chamber 12 may be referred to as the "refrigerated chamber 12". The storage chamber 13 is, in this case, a vegetable chamber maintained within the temperature range of the refrigerated temperature zone. Hereinafter, the storage chamber 13 may be referred to as the "vegetable chamber 13". The storage chamber 14 is, in this case, an ice-making chamber maintained within the temperature range of the frozen temperature zone. Hereinafter, the storage chamber 14 may be referred to as the "ice-making chamber 14". The storage chamber 15 is, in this case, a small freezer maintained within the temperature range of the frozen temperature zone. Hereinafter, the storage chamber 15 may be referred to as the "small freezer 15". The storage chamber 16 is, in this case, a large freezer maintained within the temperature range of the frozen temperature zone. Hereinafter, the storage chamber 16 may be referred to as the "large freezer 16".
[0012] The refrigerated chamber 12 is the storage chamber provided at the uppermost part among the plurality of storage chambers 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 provided in the refrigerator 10. The vegetable chamber 13 is provided below the refrigerated chamber 12 and is located at or near the central part in the vertical direction of the heat-insulating box body 11. The ice-making chamber 14 and the small freezer 15 are provided below the vegetable chamber 13 and are arranged side by side along the left-right direction of the refrigerator 10 within the heat-insulating box body 11. The large freezer 16 is provided below the ice-making chamber 14 and the small freezer 15 within the heat-insulating box body 11. The large freezer 16 is the storage chamber provided at the lowermost part among the plurality of storage chambers 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 provided in the refrigerator 10.
[0013] The refrigerated chamber 12 has a rectangular opening 12a on its front surface. The front opening 12a of the refrigerated chamber 12 is an example of a storage chamber opening and is opened and closed by storage chamber doors that can rotate in the left-right direction, namely, two refrigerated chamber doors 12D[R], 12D[L] of the so-called double-door type. That is, the front opening 12a of the refrigerated chamber 12 is configured to be opened and closed by at least two storage chamber doors, in this case, the right refrigerated chamber door 12D[R] and the left refrigerated chamber door 12D[L]. Note that the refrigerated chamber door may be a single storage chamber door that opens and closes the front opening 12a of the refrigerated chamber 12. Also, the front opening 12a of the refrigerated chamber 12 may be configured to be opened and closed by a plurality of three or more storage chamber doors.
[0014] The vegetable compartment 13 has a rectangular opening 13a on its front surface. The front opening 13a of the vegetable compartment 13 is an example of a storage compartment opening, and is configured to be opened and closed by a storage compartment door that is movable in the front-rear direction, namely, a so-called drawer-type vegetable compartment door 13D. The ice-making compartment 14 has a rectangular opening 14a on its front surface. The front opening 14a of the ice-making compartment 14 is an example of a storage compartment opening, and is configured to be opened and closed by a storage compartment door that is movable in the front-rear direction, namely, a so-called drawer-type ice-making compartment door 14D. The small freezer compartment 15 has a rectangular opening 15a on its front surface. The front opening 15a of the small freezer compartment 15 is an example of a storage compartment opening, and is configured to be opened and closed by a storage compartment door that is movable in the front-rear direction, namely, a so-called drawer-type small freezer compartment door 15D. The large freezer compartment 16 has an opening 16a on its front surface. The front opening 16a of the large freezer compartment 16 is an example of a storage compartment opening, and is configured to be opened and closed by a storage compartment door that is movable in the front-rear direction, namely, a so-called drawer-type large freezer compartment door 16D.
[0015] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of stepped drawer containers 21 and 22 are provided in the vegetable compartment 13. Among these, the lower drawer container 21 has an opening on its upper surface, and storage items such as fresh foods can be accommodated inside through the opening. Further, the lower drawer container 21 is attached to the back surface of the vegetable compartment door 13D, and is movable in the front-rear direction together with the vegetable compartment door 13D.
[0016] The upper drawer container 22 is an example of an outer container, and is placed on the upper part of the lower drawer container 21. The upper drawer container 22 is not fixed to the upper part of the lower drawer container 21, but is merely placed thereon. Therefore, the upper drawer container 22 is movable in the front-rear direction as the vegetable compartment door 13D opens and closes the front opening 13a of the vegetable compartment 13.
[0017] The upper drawer container 22 has an opening on its upper surface, and the refrigerator storage container 100 according to the present disclosure can be stored inside through this opening. The refrigerator storage container 100 is configured as an accessory or a separately sold item of the refrigerator 10, for example. The refrigerator storage container 100 is for storing items such as fresh foods inside. Further, the refrigerator storage container 100 is taken in and out of the storage compartment of the refrigerator 10, in this case, the vegetable compartment 13. Next, a configuration example of the refrigerator storage container 100 will be described in detail. In the following description, the refrigerator storage container 100 may be simply referred to as the "storage container 100".
[0018] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the storage container 100 includes a container body member 110, an inner container 120, and a lid member 130, and has a rectangular box shape in which the length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the storage container 100 may be referred to as the front-rear direction, and the short-side direction may be referred to as the left-right direction. The container body member 110, the inner container 120, and the lid member 130 are all made of resin, for example.
[0019] The container body member 110 has an opening 111 on its upper surface, and is formed in a box shape capable of storing items or the inner container 120 inside through this opening 111. A flange portion 112 extending outward, that is, on the side opposite to the opening 111, is provided at the upper end of the container body member 110. The flange portion 112 is in a so-called flange shape, extends forward from the upper end of the front wall of the container body member 110, extends leftward from the upper end of the left wall of the container body member 110, and extends rightward from the upper end of the right wall of the container body member 110.
[0020] At least a part of the upper end of the container body member 110 is provided with a recess 113. In this case, the recess 113 is recessed in an arc shape downward. The recess 113 is provided in a portion of the flange portion 112 that extends forward from the upper end of the front wall of the container body member 110. Further, the container body member 110 includes a plurality, in this case, two recesses 113. The plurality of recesses 113 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction.
[0021] The inner container 120 has an opening 121 on its upper surface, and storage items can be accommodated inside through this opening 121. Also, the inner container 120 can be accommodated inside the container main body member 110. A number of through-holes penetrating the bottom surface are formed on the bottom surface of the inner container 120. For example, moisture generated from the storage items inside the inner container 120 or moisture that has entered the inner container 120 is discharged outside the inner container 120 through these through-holes. Then, the moisture discharged from the through-holes is stored inside the bottom of the container main body member 110.
[0022] The lid member 130 is a member capable of closing the opening 111 of the container main body member 110. The lid member 130 includes a ventilation part 131 configured to allow gas to pass through and a transparent part 132 configured to be transparent. The ventilation part 131 has a plurality of inflow slits 131a at its upper part. In this case, the inflow slits 131a extend in the short side direction of the lid member 130. When the lid member 103 closes the opening 111 of the container main body member 110, the ventilation part 131 allows the air outside the storage container 100 to pass through the inflow slits 131a and flow into the storage container 100.
[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the ventilation part 131 has a plurality of guide slits 131b at its lower part. In this case, the guide slits 131b extend in the short side direction of the lid member 130. However, each guide slit 131b is shorter than the inflow slit 131a. The guide slits 131b are inclined so as to point to the front part inside the storage container 100 when the lid member 103 closes the opening 111 of the container main body member 110. Therefore, the guide slits 131b guide the air that has flowed into the storage container 100 from outside through the inflow slits 131a to the front part inside the storage container 100.
[0024] In addition, a humidity adjusting member (not shown) is accommodated in the ventilation portion 131. The humidity adjusting member is configured in a sheet shape by, for example, an aggregate of fine fibers such as non-woven fabric or a porous body such as sponge or charcoal, and is configured to be able to adjust the humidity by absorbing moisture contained in the air passing through the ventilation portion 131. Thereby, it is suppressed that the humidity in the storage container 100 becomes too high.
[0025] Note that, instead of or together with the humidity adjusting member, a functional member that exhibits a specific function with respect to the gas may be accommodated in the ventilation portion 131. The specific function is, for example, an effect of absorbing or decomposing a specific gas such as ethylene gas, an effect of passing or adsorbing specific molecules such as water vapor molecules or oxygen molecules, a wind blocking effect of restricting the air flow, etc., and a functional member that exhibits such a specific effect can be appropriately applied.
[0026] The transparent portion 132 is a portion made of a transparent material and is provided in a part of the region of the lid member 130 other than the ventilation portion 131. The transparent portion 132 does not need to be completely transparent. For example, the transparent portion 132 may have a pattern or the like on the whole or a part thereof. Also, the whole or a part of the transparent portion 132 may be semi-transparent.
[0027] The transparent portion 132 is composed of a separate part separable from the lid member 130 and is fitted into a part of the lid member 130. That is, the transparent portion 132 can be made of a material different from that of the lid member 130. The transparent portion 132 can be made of, for example, a colorless transparent or colored transparent glass plate, an acrylic plate, etc. In this case, the transparent portion 132 is made of a material different from the material forming the lid member 130, for example, tempered glass. When the lid member 103 closes the opening 111 of the container body member 110, the user can visually recognize the inside of the storage container 100 through the transparent portion 132.
[0028] Further, the lid member 130 has a bearing portion 133 on one end side in the longitudinal direction, in this case, on the transparent portion 132 side. The bearing portions 133 are provided on the left side and the right side respectively, rather than at the central portion of the lid member 130 in the left-right direction.
[0029] Also, the lid member 130 includes an elastic member housing portion 134 on the other end side in the longitudinal direction, in this case, on the ventilation portion 131 side. The elastic member housing portions 134 are provided on the left side and the right side respectively, rather than at the central portion of the lid member 130 in the left-right direction.
[0030] As also illustrated in FIG. 7, an elastic member 135, which is an example of a protruding portion, is housed in the elastic member housing portion 134. A protrusion 135a is provided at the base end portion of the elastic member 135, and this protrusion 135a fits into a slit 134a formed in the elastic member housing portion 134. Thereby, it is difficult for the elastic member 135 to come out of the elastic member housing portion 134. Further, the tip end portion of the elastic member 135 housed in the elastic member housing portion 134 protrudes by a predetermined amount from at least a part of the lower end of the lid member 130, in this case, the lower end of the other end side.
[0031] The tip end portion of the elastic member 135 is formed in an arc shape in this case. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the radius R1 of the arc shape at the tip end portion of the elastic member 135 is smaller than the radius R2 of the arc shape in the concave portion 113. Therefore, in a state where the tip end portion of the elastic member 135 contacts the inside of the concave portion 113, a space where the tip end portion of the elastic member 135 does not contact is formed inside the concave portion 113.
[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the lid member 130 is provided rotatably at the upper portion of the container body member 110 in a closing direction A1 for closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110 and an opening direction A2 for opening the opening 111 of the container body member 110. Next, a configuration example of a support portion that rotatably supports the lid member 130 will be described in detail.
[0033] A rotation shaft 114 is provided at the upper end of the rear wall of the container body member 110. The rotation shaft 114 extends in the left - right direction of the container body member 110. The rotation shaft 114 is provided with shaft portions 115 on the left side and the right side respectively, rather than the central portion of the container body member 110 in the left - right direction. The shaft portion 115 has a smaller diameter than the portion of the rotation shaft 114 other than the shaft portion 115. The lid member 130 is provided so as to be rotatable in the closing direction A1 and the opening direction A2 at the upper part of the container body member 110 by locking the bearing portion 133 to the shaft portion 115, in other words, by sandwiching the shaft portion 115 with the bearing portion 133.
[0034] Further, the lid member 130 is provided with a handle portion 136 on which the user can place a finger. The handle portion 136 is provided at the tip portion of the lid member 130 on the side opposite to the rotation shaft 114. Also, the handle portion 136 protrudes from the tip portion of the lid member 130 in the direction opposite to the rotation shaft 114. The width of the handle portion 136 in the left - right direction is shorter than the width of the lid member 130 in the left - right direction. Also, the handle portion 136 extends in a flat plate shape.
[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 9, in a state where the storage container 100 is accommodated in the upper drawer container 22, the handle portion 136 is located at least above the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22. It is preferable to ensure a height difference between the handle portion 136 and the upper end of the front wall 22a to such an extent that the user's finger can enter without difficulty, specifically, for example, it is preferable to ensure a height difference of at least 1 centimeter or more.
[0036] Also, the upper end of the storage container 100 is above the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22 and is below the upper ends of the side wall 22b and the rear wall 22c of the upper drawer container 22. Also, the upper end of the storage container 100 is below the lower end of the upper surface wall 13a of the vegetable compartment 13. Note that a handle portion (not shown) on which the user can place a finger may be provided at the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22.
[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the container body member 110 with the opening 111 closed by the lid member 130 is viewed from the lateral direction, in other words, when the entire storage container 100 with the opening 111 of the container body member 110 closed by the lid member 130 is viewed from the lateral direction, the upper end of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110 is located a predetermined distance above the lower end of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130.
[0038] Therefore, when the container body member 110 with the opening 111 closed by the lid member 130 is viewed from the lateral direction, there is a gap S between the upper end of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110 and the lower end of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130. The upper surface of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110, in this case, the upper surface of the flange portion 112, is formed flat, that is, no wall portion or protrusion extending in the vertical direction is formed on the upper surface of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110. Also, the lower surface of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130 is formed flat, that is, no wall portion or protrusion extending in the vertical direction is formed on the lower surface of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130. Therefore, when the entire storage container 100 is viewed from the lateral direction, no wall portion or protrusion extending in the vertical direction exists in the gap S except for the elastic member 135. Thus, the user can visually recognize a part of the inner container 120 inside the storage container 100 through the gap S.
[0039] According to the storage container 100, as the opening 111 of the container body member 110 is closed by the lid member 130, the tip of the elastic member 135 comes into contact with the inside of the recess 113. Thereby, a gap S is formed between the upper end of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110 and the lower end of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130.
[0040] Also, when the lid member 130 closes the opening 111 of the container body member 110, the tip of the elastic member 135 protruding from the lower end of the outer peripheral portion of the lid member 130 toward the upper end of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110 is maintained in contact with the inside of the recess 113 provided at the upper end of the outer peripheral portion of the container body member 110. Thereby, a state in which the gap S is formed is maintained. That is, the recess 113 and the elastic member 135 can be defined as a gap forming portion for forming the gap S, and can also be defined as a gap maintaining portion for maintaining the state in which the gap S is formed.
[0041] In this case, the upper end of the container body member 110 slopes downward from the rear to the front. Further, the lower end of the lid member 130 slopes downward from the rear to the front so as to correspond to the downward slope of the upper end of the container body member 110. Therefore, the gap S formed between the upper end of the container body member 110 and the lower end of the lid member 130 also slopes downward from the rear to the front. However, the storage container 100 may be configured such that the gap S is horizontal, or may be configured to slope upward from the rear to the front.
[0042] Also, the upper end of the inner container 120 is not inclined and is horizontal. When the inner container 120 is accommodated in the container body member 110, the upper end of the side wall of the inner container 120 is located above the gap S. In this case, all of the upper ends of the side walls of the inner container 120 are located above the gap S. However, the storage container 100 may be configured such that at least a part of the upper ends of the side walls of the inner container 120 is located above the gap S.
[0043] Note that legs 116 protruding downward are provided at the bottom of the container body member 110. Therefore, in a state where the storage container 100 is disposed in the upper drawer container 22, a cold air flow path can be formed between the bottom surface of the storage container 100 and the bottom surface of the drawer container 22. Further, the legs 116 protrude in an arc shape. Therefore, in a state where the storage container 100 is disposed in the upper drawer container 22, it is possible to suppress the bottom surface of the drawer container 22 from being scratched by the legs 116.
[0044] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 10, when the lid member 130 closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110 is viewed from above, the width H1 in the left-right direction of the container body member 110 is larger than the width H2 in the left-right direction of the lid member 130. That is, the flange portion 112 of the container body member 110 extends outward beyond the side surface of the lid member 130 closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110. In other words, in the left-right direction, that is, the direction in which the rotation axis 114 extends, the container body member 110 is larger than the lid member 130.
[0045] Further, when the lid member 130 closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110 is viewed from above, the width H3 in the front-rear direction of the container body member 110 is larger than the width H4 in the front-rear direction of the lid member 130. That is, the flange portion 112 of the container body member 110 extends forward beyond the front surface of the lid member 130 closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110. In other words, in the front-rear direction, that is, the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the rotation axis 114 extends, the container body member 110 is larger than the lid member 130.
[0046] Next, the configuration examples of the shaft portion 115 and the bearing portion 133 will be described in more detail. As illustrated in FIG. 11, in a cross section orthogonal to the direction in which the shaft portion 115 extends, in this case, the orthogonal cross section has a non-circular shape. More specifically, the shaft portion 115 has an arcuate portion 115a that is arcuate and a non-arcuate portion 115b that is non-arcuate in a cross section orthogonal to the direction in which the shaft portion 115 extends. In this case, the arcuate portion 115a constitutes the upper side of the shaft portion 115, and the non-arcuate portion 115b constitutes the lower side of the shaft portion 115. Specifically, the non-arcuate portion 115b has a flat shape or a curved shape that is gentler than the arcuate portion 115a.
[0047] On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the bearing portion 133 has an opening 133a in a portion that becomes the opening 111 side of the container body member 110 in a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to a predetermined removal position. In this case, the removal position is a position where the lid member 130 is opened at an opening angle of "90 degrees" with respect to the upper end surface of the inner container 120 within the container body member 110.
[0048] Further, FIG. 12 shows an example of a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit opening position which is the maximum rotation position in the opening direction A2. In this case, the upper limit opening position is a position where the lid member 130 is opened at an opening angle of "110 degrees" with respect to the upper end surface of the inner container 120 within the container body member 110. In a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit opening position, the proximal end portion of the lid member 130 abuts against a regulating surface 117 provided at the upper end of the rear wall portion of the container body member 110. Thereby, the lid member 130 opened to the upper limit opening position is regulated from rotating further in the opening direction A2 side than the upper limit opening position. Note that the regulating surface 117 is inclined from the upper rear side to the lower front side of the container body member 110 in this case.
[0049] Incidentally, in the storage container 100, an external force G may be applied to the lid member 130 that is rotated to the upper limit open position to rotate it further in the opening direction A2 side than the upper limit open position. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 13, with the contact point P where the proximal end portion of the lid member 130 contacts the upper end of the rear wall portion of the container body member 110 as a fulcrum, the lid member 130 tends to rotate in the opening direction A2 side. Along with this, the portion of the bearing portion 133 above the opening portion 133a elastically deforms so as to separate from the portion of the bearing portion 133 below the opening portion 133a, that is, the bearing portion 133 deforms so that the opening portion 133a expands. As a result, the locking state in which the bearing portion 133 locks to the shaft portion 115 is released, and the lid member 130 comes off from the container body member 110.
[0050] Note that in the state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit open position, the proximal end portion of the lid member 130 contacts the upper end of the rear wall portion of the container body member 110, thereby restricting the lid member 130 from rotating further in the opening direction A2 side than the upper limit open position, and the center of gravity of the lid member 130 is located on the rear side, that is, the opening direction A2 side, of the rotation shaft 114. Therefore, the lid member 130 can stand on its own at the upper limit open position. As a result, the user can take in and out the stored items without pressing the lid member 130 so that the lid member 130 does not rotate in the closing direction A1 side.
[0051] The above-described predetermined removal position is set closer to the closing direction A1 side than the predetermined upper limit open position. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the size of the portion B1 of the shaft portion 115 facing the opening portion 133a in the state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the predetermined removal position is smaller than the size of the portion B2 of the shaft portion 115 facing the opening portion 133a in the state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit open position as illustrated in FIG. 12. Further, in the state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the removal position, at least a part of the shaft portion 115, in this case, the upper portion forming the arc-shaped portion 115a, is located above the lower end of the portion of the bearing portion 133 above the opening portion 133a. Also, the vertical dimension of the shaft portion 115 is slightly shorter than the vertical dimension of the opening portion 133a.
[0052] When the lid member 130 is rotated to a predetermined removal position, the user can lift the lid member 130 rotated to the removal position upward and then move it rearward, thereby removing the shaft portion 115 from the bearing portion 133 through the opening portion 133a. As a result, the lid member 130 can be removed from the container body member 110 without elastically deforming a part of the bearing portion 133.
[0053] According to the storage container 100, when the container body member 110 with the opening portion 111 closed by the lid member 130 is viewed from the lateral direction, a gap S exists between the upper end of the container body member 110 and the lower end of the lid member 130. That is, according to the storage container 100, a gap S for ventilation between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 can be formed without enlarging the lid member 130 or reducing the upper end portion of the container body member 110. Therefore, a gap S of sufficient size for ventilation between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 can be formed without causing the overall size of the storage container 100 to increase or the opening portion 111 of the container body member 110 to become narrower.
[0054] Also, ventilation between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 can be smoothly performed without difficulty through the gap S. As a result, it is possible to avoid the humidity inside the storage container 100 from becoming high, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of condensation inside the storage container 100 and the occurrence of condensation in the stored items.
[0055] Also, according to the storage container 100, in a state where the inner container 120 is accommodated in the container body member 110, the upper end of the side wall of the inner container 120 is located above the gap S. According to this configuration example, as illustrated by the arrow F1 in FIG. 14, the cold air that has entered from the gap S can be guided between the container body member 110 and the inner container 120, and the side wall of the inner container 120 can suppress the cold air that has entered from the gap S from directly reaching the stored items inside the inner container 120. As a result, it is possible to avoid the stored items inside the storage container 100 from being overcooled or overdried.
[0056] Further, according to the storage container 100, a recess 113 is provided in at least a part of the upper end of the container body member 110. According to this configuration example, this recess 113 can also be utilized as part of the gap S. Therefore, as illustrated by arrows F1 and F2 in FIG. 15, the amount of ventilation from the outside to the inside of the storage container 100 can be increased, and ventilation between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 can be further promoted.
[0057] Further, according to the storage container 100, the elastic member 135 on the lid member 130 side contacts a part of the container body member 110, in this case, inside the recess 113, so that the state in which the gap S is formed is maintained. Thereby, the state in which the gap S is formed can be stably maintained, and thus, the state in which ventilation can be performed between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 through the gap S can be stably maintained.
[0058] Further, according to the storage container 100, the elastic member 135 can be enlarged by the size of the recess 113, and the shock-absorbing property of the elastic member 135 can be enhanced. Thereby, the shock when closing the lid member 130 can be sufficiently absorbed. In particular, according to the storage container 100, the lid member 130 includes a transparent portion 132 made of glass, and the weight of the entire lid member 130 is large. Therefore, even in a configuration where the weight of the entire lid member 130 is large, the shock when closing the lid member 130 can be sufficiently absorbed by the large elastic member 135.
[0059] Further, according to the storage container 100, as the opening 111 of the container body member 110 is closed by the lid member 130, the elastic member 135 on the lid member 130 side contacts inside the recess 113 on the container body member 110 side. According to this configuration example, the gap S can be automatically formed as the lid member 130 is closed. That is, the user can form the gap S by closing the lid member 130.
[0060] Further, according to the storage container 100, when the lid member 130 closing the opening 111 of the container main body member 110 is viewed from above, the container main body member 110 is larger than the lid member 130. According to this configuration example, when the user tries to hold the storage container 100, it is possible to avoid accidentally holding the lid member 130. When the user tries to hold the storage container 100 and accidentally holds the lid member 130, the lid member 130 will open unintentionally. According to the storage container 100, it is possible to avoid the lid member 130 opening unintentionally in this way.
[0061] Further, according to the storage container 100, the handle portion 136 is provided at the tip portion of the lid member 130 on the side opposite to the rotation axis 114, and protrudes from the tip portion of the lid member 130 to the side opposite to the rotation axis 114. According to this configuration example, when the user opens and closes the lid member 130, it is easy to hook a finger on the handle portion 136, and the lid member 130 can be easily opened and closed.
[0062] Further, according to the refrigerator 10, when the storage container 100 is arranged in the vegetable compartment 13 for example, ventilation between the inside and outside of the storage container 100 can be smoothly performed through the gap S. Note that the storage container 100 can also be arranged in a storage compartment other than the vegetable compartment 13.
[0063] Further, according to the refrigerator 10, in a state where the storage container 100 is accommodated in the upper drawer container 22, the handle portion 136 is located above the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22. According to this configuration example, the user can open and close the lid member 130 by hooking a finger on the handle portion 136 while the storage container 100 remains arranged in the upper drawer container 22.
[0064] Note that as described above, the storage container 100 can be arranged in the storage chamber with its longitudinal direction along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 10. However, the storage container 100 can also be arranged in the storage chamber with its longitudinal direction along the left-right direction of the refrigerator 10. Further, the storage container 100 can also be arranged in the storage chamber with its longitudinal direction along a direction intersecting the front-rear direction or the left-right direction of the refrigerator 10.
[0065] Further, according to the storage container 100, the lid member 130 is provided on the upper part of the container body member 110 so as to be rotatable in a closing direction A1 for closing the opening 111 of the container body member 110 and an opening direction A2 for opening the opening 111 of the container body member 110 by locking the bearing portion 133 provided on the lid member 130 to the shaft portion 115 provided on the container body member 110. According to this configuration example, the user can easily open and close the lid member 130 by a rotation operation without performing operations such as completely separating the lid member 130 from the container body member 110, securing a space for placing the separated lid member 130, and attaching the separated lid member 130 to the container body member 110, thereby improving the usability.
[0066] Further, according to the storage container 100, when an external force G for rotating the lid member 130 further in the opening direction A2 side than the upper limit opening position is applied to the lid member 130 in a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit opening position which is the maximum rotation position in the opening direction A2, a portion of the bearing portion 133 above the opening portion 133a is elastically deformed and the state where the bearing portion 133 is locked to the shaft portion 115 is released, and the lid member 130 is configured to be detached from the container body member 110. According to this configuration example, in the storage container 100 in which the lid member 130 is rotatably provided, even if an external force G for rotating the lid member 130 further in the opening direction A2 side than the upper limit opening position is applied to the lid member 130, since the lid member 130 is detached from the container body member 110, it is possible to suppress damage to the portion that rotatably supports the lid member 130.
[0067] Further, according to the storage container 100, the shaft portion 115 has a non-circular cross-section that intersects the direction in which the shaft portion 115 extends. Also, in a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to a predetermined removal position on the closing direction A1 side from the upper limit open position, the size of the portion B1 of the shaft portion 115 facing the opening portion 133a is smaller than the size of the portion B2 of the shaft portion 115 facing the opening portion 133a in a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the upper limit open position. Further, the shaft portion 115 has an arcuate portion 115a that is arcuate and a non-arcuate portion 115b that is non-arcuate in a cross-section that intersects the direction in which the shaft portion 115 extends. Also, in a state where the lid member 130 is rotated to the removal position, at least a part of the shaft portion 115 is located above the lower end of the portion of the bearing portion 133 above the opening portion 133a.
[0068] According to this configuration example, the user can release the state in which the bearing portion 133 is locked to the shaft portion 115 by lifting the lid member 130 rotated to the removal position upward and then moving it rearward, whereby the lid member 130 can be removed from the container body member 110. And, during this removal, the bearing portion 133 does not elastically deform. Therefore, the lid member 130 can be removed from the container body member 110 without difficulty while suppressing the load applied to the bearing portion 133.
[0069] Further, according to the refrigerator 10, the storage container 100 can be disposed in the storage compartment. And, the user can easily open and close the lid member 130 of the storage container 100 disposed in the storage compartment by a rotation operation, and the usability can be improved.
[0070] Note that the intervals between the plurality of bearing portions 133 in the lid member 130 can be appropriately changed and implemented. However, if the intervals between the plurality of bearing portions 133 are too narrow, the lid member 130 is likely to sway left and right when the lid member 130 is opened and closed. Also, if the intervals between the plurality of bearing portions 133 are too wide, when an external force G is applied to the lid member 130 that is rotated to the upper limit open position, the external force G is dispersed left and right, making it difficult for the bearing portions 133 to elastically deform. Therefore, the intervals between the plurality of bearing portions 133 are preferably set to be appropriate intervals in consideration of such points.
[0071] Also, a hook or the like for fixing the lid member 130 that closes the opening 111 of the container body member 110 may be provided at the tip of the lid member 130, that is, the rotation free end. The hook may be one or a plurality of two or more.
[0072] Also, in the rotation shaft 114, the shaft portion 115 has a smaller diameter than other portions, that is, the portion between the plurality of shaft portions 115 has a larger diameter than the shaft portion 115. By configuring in this way, the strength of the entire rotation shaft 114 can be improved, and thus the strength of the shaft portion 115 which is a part of the rotation shaft 114 can also be improved.
[0073] Also, the upper limit open position is not limited to the position where the lid member 130 is opened at an opening angle of "110 degrees" with respect to the upper end surface of the inner container 120 in the container body member 110, and can be appropriately changed and implemented within an angle range exceeding, for example, "90 degrees". Note that if the opening angle of the upper limit open position is too large, there is a concern that the entire storage container 100 may fall backward due to the self-weight of the lid member 130 opened to the upper limit open position. Therefore, the opening angle of the upper limit open position is preferably set to be an appropriate angle in consideration of the weight of the lid member 130 and the like.
[0074] Further, the removal position is not limited to the position where the lid member 130 is opened at an opening angle of "90 degrees" with respect to the upper end surface of the inner container 120 within the container body member 110, and can be appropriately changed and implemented within an angular range smaller than the upper limit opening position. However, if the opening angle of the removal position is too small, there is a concern that it will be difficult to remove the lid member 130 from the container body member 110. Therefore, the opening angle of the removal position may be set to a preferable angle in consideration of the ease of removing the lid member 130 and the like.
[0075] Further, the protruding portion may be composed of a non-elastic body having no elasticity instead of the elastic member 135, or may be a protrusion integrally formed with the container body member 110 or the lid member 130. Further, the protruding portion may be configured to protrude from the container body member 110 side toward the lid member 130 between the upper end of the container body member 110 and the lower end of the lid member 130, and to maintain a state in which the gap S is formed by contacting the lid member 130.
[0076] (Second Embodiment) As illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the refrigerator storage container 200 includes a container body member 210, an inner container 220, and a lid member 230, and has a rectangular box shape in which the length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction. In the following description, the refrigerator storage container 200 may be simply referred to as the "storage container 200". Also, for convenience of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the storage container 200 may be referred to as the front-rear direction, and the short-side direction may be referred to as the left-right direction. Also, the "side wall" in the present disclosure is a concept including not only the left side wall and the right side wall but also the front wall and the rear wall. The container body member 210, the inner container 220, and the lid member 230 are all made of, for example, resin.
[0077] The container body member 210 has an opening 211 on the upper surface, and is formed in a box shape capable of storing stored items or the inner container 220 through this opening 211. A protruding portion 212 extending downward is provided at the upper end of the container body member 210. In this case, the protruding portions 212 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the container body member 210.
[0078] The inner container 220 has an opening 221 on its upper surface, and storage items can be accommodated inside through this opening 221. Also, the inner container 220 can be accommodated inside the container body member 210. A large number of slits penetrating the bottom surface are formed on the bottom surface of the inner container 220. Also, a large number of slits penetrating the inner container 220 are formed on the side wall of the inner container 220.
[0079] For example, moisture generated from the storage items inside the inner container 220 or moisture that has entered the inner container 220 is discharged outside the inner container 120 through these slits. And the moisture discharged from the slits is stored inside the bottom of the container body member 210.
[0080] The lid member 230 is a member capable of closing the opening 211 of the container body member 210. The lid member 230 is provided with a transparent portion 231 configured to be transparent. Stoppers 232 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the lid member 230. The stopper 232 is an example of a fixing member and is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the lid member 230.
[0081] When the user closes the opening 211 of the container body member 210 with the lid member 230, the user places the lid member 230 on the opening 211 of the container body member 210 and rotates the stopper 232 downward to lock it to the protrusion 212 of the container body member 210. Thereby, the stopper 232 fixes the lid member 230 in a state where the opening 211 of the container body member 210 is closed by the lid member 230.
[0082] When the user removes the lid member 230 and opens the opening 211 of the container body member 210, the user rotates the stopper 232 upward to release the state where the stopper 232 is locked to the protrusion 212 of the container body member 210. And the user completely separates the lid member 230 from above the opening 211 of the container body member 210. Thereby, the user can open the opening 211 of the container body member 210.
[0083] The transparent portion 231 is a part made of a transparent material and is provided in a portion of the lid member 230 excluding the outer peripheral portion. The transparent portion 231 does not necessarily have to be completely transparent. For example, the transparent portion 231 may have a pattern or the like applied to the whole or a part thereof. Also, the transparent portion 231 may be semi-transparent in whole or in part.
[0084] The transparent portion 231 is composed of a separate part separable from the lid member 230 and is fitted into a part of the lid member 230. That is, the transparent portion 231 can be made of a material different from that of the lid member 230. The transparent portion 231 can be composed of, for example, a colorless transparent or colored transparent glass plate, an acrylic plate, or the like. In this case, the transparent portion 231 is made of a material different from the material forming the lid member 230, for example, tempered glass. When the lid member 203 closes the opening 211 of the container body member 210, the user can visually recognize the inside of the storage container 200 through the transparent portion 231.
[0085] On the side wall of the container body member 210, in this case, the front wall, a ventilation portion 240 configured to allow gas to pass through is provided. Next, a configuration example of this ventilation portion 240 will be described in detail.
[0086] As also illustrated in FIG. 18, the ventilation portion 240 includes a main body portion 241, a humidity adjustment member 242, and a covering member 243.
[0087] The main body portion 241 is integrally provided on the front wall of the container body member 210. As illustrated in FIG. 18, the main body portion 241 has a plurality of guide slits 241a. In this case, the guide slits 241a extend in the lateral direction of the container body member 210. The guide slits 241a are inclined so as to direct toward the lower portion inside the storage container 200. In a state where the inner container 220 is accommodated in the container body member 210, the lower end of the ventilation portion 240, in this case, the lower end of the main body portion 241, is located above the bottom surface of the inner container 220.
[0088] The humidity adjusting member 242 is formed in a sheet shape by, for example, an aggregate of fine fibers such as a non-woven fabric or a porous body such as a sponge or charcoal, and is configured to be able to adjust the humidity by absorbing moisture contained in the air passing through the ventilation portion 240. Thereby, it is suppressed that the humidity in the storage container 200 becomes too high. The humidity adjusting member 242 is detachable from the outside of the container main body member 210 with respect to the inside of the main body portion 241 of the ventilation portion 240.
[0089] Note that, instead of the humidity adjusting member 242 or together with the humidity adjusting member 242, a functional member that exhibits a specific function with respect to the gas may be accommodated in the ventilation portion 240. The specific function is, for example, an effect of absorbing or decomposing a specific gas such as ethylene gas, an effect of passing or adsorbing a specific molecule such as a water vapor molecule or an oxygen molecule, a wind shielding effect of restricting the air flow, etc., and a functional member that exhibits such a specific effect can be appropriately applied.
[0090] The covering member 243 is an example of a covering portion. The covering member 243 is detachable from the outside of the container main body member 210 with respect to the main body portion 241 of the ventilation portion 240, and covers the main body portion 241 of the ventilation portion 240 from the outside of the container main body member 210. The lower end of the stopper 232 in the state where the lid member 230 is fixed is located above the upper end of the covering member 243 covering the main body portion 241 of the ventilation portion 240.
[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 19, at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 243, a non-elastic locking claw 243a that does not elastically deform is provided. Further, at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 243, an elastic locking claw 243b that elastically deforms is provided. On the other hand, at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 241, a locking hole 241b is provided. Further, at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 241, a locking hole 241c is provided.
[0092] When the user attaches the covering member 243 to the main body 241, the user inserts the non-elastic locking claw 243a of the covering member 243 into the locking hole 241b of the main body 241, and then fits the elastic locking claw 243b of the covering member 243 into the locking hole 241c of the main body 241 while elastically deforming the elastic locking claw 243b. Thereby, the covering member 243 can be attached to the main body 241.
[0093] When the user removes the covering member 243 from the main body 241, the user detaches the elastic locking claw 243b of the covering member 243 from the locking hole 241c while elastically deforming the elastic locking claw 243b, and then extracts the non-elastic locking claw 243a of the covering member 243 from the locking hole 241b of the main body 241. Thereby, the covering member 243 can be removed from the main body 241.
[0094] As illustrated in FIG. 18, the covering member 243 has a plurality of inflow slits 243c. In this case, the inflow slits 243c extend in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 243. In a state where the covering member 243 covers the main body 241 of the ventilation part 240, the ventilation part 240 allows air outside the storage container 200 to pass through the inflow slits 243c and flow into the storage container 200. Then, the air flowing into the storage container 200 through the ventilation part 240 is guided to the lower part inside the storage container 200 by the guide slit 241a.
[0095] According to the storage container 200, the ventilation part 240 is provided on the side wall of the container main body member 210 instead of the lid member 230. According to this configuration example, there is no need to provide the ventilation part 240 in the lid member 230. Therefore, the transparent part 231 provided in the lid member 230 to make the inside of the storage container 200 visible can be made as large as possible.
[0096] Also, according to the storage container 200, the humidity adjustment member 242 and the covering member 243 are detachable from the outside of the container body member 210. According to this configuration example, the user can perform maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 242 by removing the covering member 243 while the opening 211 of the container body member 210 is closed by the lid member 230. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the storage environment such as humidity and temperature in the storage container 200 from fluctuating when performing maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 242.
[0097] Also, according to the storage container 200, when the inner container 220 is accommodated in the container body member 210, the lower end of the ventilation part 240 is located above the bottom surface of the inner container 220. According to this configuration example, it is possible to avoid water accumulated in the bottom of the container body member 210 from leaking to the outside through the ventilation part 240.
[0098] Also, according to the storage container 200, the lower end of the stopper 232 in a state where the lid member 230 is fixed on the container body member 210 is located above the upper end of the covering member 243. According to this configuration example, the user can perform maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 242 by removing the covering member 243 without rotating the stopper 232 upward. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the fixing of the lid member 230 from being loosened when performing maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 242, and maintain the state where the opening 211 of the container body member 210 is closed by the lid member 230, that is, the state where the change in the storage environment in the storage container 200 is suppressed.
[0099] Also, according to the refrigerator 10, a storage container 200 having a transparent part 231 provided in the lid member 230 made as large as possible to make the inside visible can be arranged in the storage chamber, thereby improving the usability.
[0100] (Third Embodiment) As illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, the storage container 300 for a refrigerator has a different configuration example of the ventilation part from the storage container 200 described above. Hereinafter, the storage container 300 for a refrigerator may be simply referred to as the "storage container 300".
[0101] On the side wall of the container main body member 310, in this case, on the front wall, a ventilation part 340 configured to allow gas to pass through is provided. As illustrated in FIG. 21, the ventilation part 340 includes a main body part 341, a humidity adjustment member 342, and a covering member 343.
[0102] The main body part 341 is formed in a box shape that is detachable from the front wall of the container main body member 310. In this case, the main body part 341 is detachable from the outside of the container main body member 210. As illustrated in FIG. 22, the main body part 341 has a plurality of guide slits 341a. In this case, the guide slits 341a extend in the lateral direction of the container main body member 310. Also, the guide slits 341a are inclined so as to point to the lower part inside the storage container 300. In a state where the inner container 320 is accommodated in the container main body member 310, the lower end of the ventilation part 340, in this case, the lower end of the main body part 341, is located above the bottom surface of the inner container 320.
[0103] Locking claws 341b are formed at the upper end and the lower end of the main body part 341. The main body part 341 is detachably attached to the front wall of the container main body member 310 by locking these locking claws 341b from the inside to the upper side part and the lower side part of the mounting holes 344 provided on the front wall of the container main body member 310. Note that in a state where the inner container 320 is accommodated in the container main body member 310, the lower end of the mounting hole 344 is located above the bottom surface of the inner container 320.
[0104] The humidity adjustment member 342 has the same configuration as the humidity adjustment member 242 in the second embodiment and is detachable from the outside of the container main body member 310 with respect to the inside of the main body part 341 of the ventilation part 340.
[0105] The covering member 343 is an example of a covering portion. The covering member 343 is detachable from the outside of the container body member 310 with respect to the main body portion 341 of the ventilation portion 340, and covers the main body portion 341 of the ventilation portion 340 from the outside of the container body member 310. The lower end of the stopper 332 in the state where the lid member 330 is fixed is located above the upper end of the covering member 343 covering the main body portion 341 of the ventilation portion 340. The stopper 332 is an example of a fixing member.
[0106] As illustrated in FIG. 23, elastic locking claws 343a that elastically deform are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 343. On the other hand, locking holes 341c are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 341.
[0107] When the user attaches the covering member 343 to the main body portion 341, the user fits the elastic locking claws 343a of the covering member 343 into the locking holes 341c of the main body portion 341 while elastically deforming the elastic locking claws 343a. Thereby, the covering member 343 can be attached to the main body portion 341.
[0108] When the user removes the covering member 343 from the main body portion 341, the user pulls out the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 343 outward, that is, in a direction away from the main body portion 341. Along with this, the elastic locking claws 343a of the covering member 343 elastically deform and disengage from the locking holes 341c of the main body portion 341. Thereby, the covering member 343 can be removed from the main body portion 341.
[0109] As illustrated in FIG. 22, the covering member 343 has a plurality of inflow slits 343b. In this case, the inflow slits 343b extend in the longitudinal direction of the covering member 343. In a state where the covering member 343 covers the main body portion 341 of the ventilation portion 340, the ventilation portion 340 allows air outside the storage container 300 to pass through the inflow slits 343b and flow into the storage container 300. Then, the air flowing into the storage container 300 through the ventilation portion 340 is guided to the lower portion inside the storage container 300 by the guide slit 341a.
[0110] According to the storage container 300, the ventilation part 340 is provided on the side wall of the container body member 310, rather than on the lid member 330. According to this configuration example, there is no need to provide the ventilation part 340 on the lid member 330. Therefore, the transparent part 331 provided on the lid member 330 to make the inside of the storage container 300 visible can be made as large as possible.
[0111] Also, according to the storage container 300, the ventilation part 340, the humidity adjustment member 342, and the covering member 343 are detachable from the outside of the container body member 310. According to this configuration example, the user can perform maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 342 by removing the ventilation part 340 from the container body member 310 while the opening 311 of the container body member 310 is closed by the lid member 330. Further, the user can perform maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 342 by removing the covering member 343 without removing the ventilation part 340 from the container body member 310 while the opening 311 of the container body member 310 is closed by the lid member 330. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the storage environment such as humidity and temperature in the storage container 300 from fluctuating when performing maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 342.
[0112] Also, according to the storage container 300, in a state where the inner container 320 is accommodated in the container body member 310, the lower end of the ventilation part 340 is located above the bottom surface of the inner container 320. According to this configuration example, it is possible to avoid the water accumulated in the bottom of the container body member 310 from leaking to the outside through the ventilation part 340.
[0113] Also, according to the storage container 300, in a state where the inner container 320 is accommodated in the container body member 310, the lower end of the mounting hole 344 is also located above the bottom surface of the inner container 320. According to this configuration example, it is possible to avoid the water accumulated in the bottom of the container body member 310 from leaking to the outside through the mounting hole 344 in a state where the ventilation part 340 is removed from the mounting hole 344.
[0114] Further, according to the storage container 300, the lower end of the stopper 332 in a state where the lid member 330 is fixed on the container main body member 310 is located above the upper end of the ventilation portion 340 or the upper end of the covering member 343. According to this configuration example, the user can perform maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 342 by removing the ventilation portion 340 or the covering member 343 without rotating the stopper 332 upward. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the fixing of the lid member 330 from being loosened when performing maintenance such as replacing the humidity adjustment member 342, and maintain the state in which the opening 311 of the container main body member 310 is closed by the lid member 330, that is, the state in which fluctuations in the storage environment in the storage container 300 are suppressed.
[0115] Further, according to the refrigerator 10, the storage container 300 in which the transparent portion 331 provided in the lid member 330 is made as large as possible to make the inside visible can be arranged in the storage chamber, and the usability can be improved.
[0116] (Other Embodiments) Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described plurality of embodiments, and various modifications, expansions, etc. can be made without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the refrigerator 10 may be an embodiment in which at least any two or more of the above-described plurality of embodiments are appropriately selected and combined.
[0117] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 24, when the housing containers 200 and 300 are viewed laterally, with the openings 211 and 311 of the container body members 210 and 310 closed by the lid members 230 and 330, a gap S may be provided between the upper end of the container body members 210 and 310 and the lower end of the lid members 230 and 330. The gap S can be formed, for example, by a protruding portion 435 that protrudes from one side to the other side between the upper end of the container body members 210 and 310 and the lower end of the lid members 230 and 330 and contacts the other side of the container body members 210 and 310 and the lid members 230 and 330. Also, due to the presence of such a protruding portion 435, the state in which the gap S is formed can be maintained.
[0118] In addition, when the inner containers 220 and 320 are housed in the container body members 210 and 310 of the housing containers 200 and 300, at least a part of the upper ends of the side walls of the inner containers 220 and 320 may be configured to be positioned above the gap S.
[0119] The protruding portion 435 may be formed of an elastic member, may be formed of a member without elasticity, or may be a protruding portion integrally provided on the container body member 210 or 310 or the lid member 230 or 330. Further, the housing containers 200 and 300 may be provided with a recess at a portion where the protruding portion 435 contacts in a state where the openings 211 and 311 of the container body members 210 and 310 are closed by the lid members 230 and 330.
[0120] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 25, in a state where the storage containers 200 and 300 are accommodated in the upper drawer container 22, the stoppers 232 and 332 may be configured to be located above the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22. Further, in a state where the storage containers 200 and 300 are accommodated in the upper drawer container 22, the upper ends of the storage containers 200 and 300 may be configured to be located below the lower end of the upper surface wall 13a of the vegetable compartment 13. Also, the upper ends of the storage containers 200 and 300 may be configured to be located above the upper end of the front wall 22a of the upper drawer container 22. Also, the upper ends of the storage containers 200 and 300 may be configured to be located below the upper ends of the side wall 22b and the rear wall 22c of the upper drawer container 22.
[0121] The storage compartment in which the refrigerator storage containers 100, 200, and 300 are arranged is not limited to the vegetable compartment 13 and may be other storage compartments. Also, the outer container in which the refrigerator storage containers 100, 200, and 300 are arranged is not limited to the drawer container 22 and may be other containers.
[0122] As described above, a plurality of embodiments according to the present invention have been described. However, these embodiments are presented merely as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention and are included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.
Explanation of Reference Numerals
[0123] In the drawings, 10 is a refrigerator, 13 is a vegetable compartment (storage compartment), 13a is the front opening of the vegetable compartment (storage compartment opening), 13D is the vegetable compartment door (storage compartment door), 22 is a drawer container (outer container), 100, 200, 300 are storage containers for the refrigerator, 110, 210, 310 are container body members, 111, 211, 311 are openings of the container body members, 113 is a recess, 114 is a pivot shaft, 115 is a shaft portion, 115a is an arcuate portion, 115b is a non-arcuate portion, 120, 220, 320 are inner containers, 121, 221, 321 are openings of the inner containers, 130, 230, 330 are lid members, 133 is a bearing portion, 133a is an open portion, 135 is an elastic member (protrusion), 136 is a handle portion, 231, 331 are transparent portions, 232, 332 are stoppers (fixing members), 240, 340 are ventilation portions, 242, 342 are humidity adjusting members, and 243, 343 are covering members.
Claims
1. A storage container disposed in a storage chamber of a refrigerator, comprising: a container body member having an opening on the upper surface and capable of storing stored items therein; a lid member for closing the opening; wherein the lid member is provided to be rotatable in a closing direction for closing the opening and an opening direction for opening the opening at an upper portion of the container body member by locking a bearing portion provided on the lid member to a shaft portion provided on the container body member; the bearing portion has an opening portion at a part on the opening side; when an external force for rotating the lid member further in the opening direction beyond the upper limit opening position, which is the maximum rotation position of the lid member in the opening direction, is applied, a portion of the bearing portion above the opening portion is elastically deformed and the state in which the bearing portion is locked to the shaft portion is released, and the lid member is detached from the container body member. A storage container for a refrigerator.
2. The shaft portion has a non-circular cross-section intersecting the direction in which the shaft portion extends, and the size of the portion of the shaft portion facing the opening portion in a state where the lid member is rotated to a predetermined removal position on the closing direction side from the upper limit opening position is smaller than the size of the portion of the shaft portion facing the opening portion in a state where the lid member is rotated to the upper limit opening position. The storage container for a refrigerator according to Claim 1.
3. The shaft portion has an arcuate portion that is arcuate and a non-arcuate portion that is non-arcuate in a cross-section intersecting the direction in which the shaft portion extends. The storage container for a refrigerator according to Claim 2.
4. In a state where the lid member is rotated to the removal position, at least a part of the shaft portion is located above the lower end of the portion of the bearing portion above the opening portion. The storage container for a refrigerator according to Claim 2.
5. A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; a storage container for a refrigerator disposed in the storage chamber; wherein the storage container for a refrigerator has a container body member having an opening on the upper surface and capable of storing stored items therein; a lid member for closing the opening; wherein the lid member is provided to be rotatable in a closing direction for closing the opening and an opening direction for opening the opening at an upper portion of the container body member by locking a bearing portion provided on the lid member to a shaft portion provided on the container body member; the bearing portion has an opening portion at a part on the opening side; In a state where the lid member is rotated to the upper limit opening position which is the maximum rotation position in the opening direction, when an external force for rotating the lid member further in the opening direction beyond the upper limit opening position is applied, an upper portion of the bearing portion above the opening portion is elastically deformed, and a state where the bearing portion is locked to the shaft portion is released, and the lid member is detached from the container body member, a refrigerator.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Storage container for refrigerator and refrigerator
JP2023093815A