Refrigerator and partition member

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that can store stored objects having various sizes and shapes in a refrigerator case and includes a partition member capable of supporting stored objects that are stored while standing up.SOLUTION: A refrigerator includes a case and a partition member. The case stores stored objects. The partition member is installed so as to be capable of interposing between a plurality of stored objects in a predetermined height position in the case. The partition member can be stored.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a partition member.

Background Art

[0002] Some refrigerators are provided with a case (storage container) for storing items to be stored. For example, in a refrigerator having a drawer-type storage compartment used as a freezer compartment, a vegetable compartment, etc., at least one case may be provided in the storage compartment. Even in a door-type storage compartment, there may be provided a drawer-type case or a case provided inside the door.

[0003] In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, a partition member whose position can be adjusted is provided in a case (door pocket) provided inside the door of the refrigerator compartment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the partition member described in Patent Document 1, due to the shapes of the case and the partition member, there are limitations on the shape and size of the items that can be stored. In order to be able to store items of various sizes and shapes, and to be able to store them either vertically or horizontally, it is desirable to provide a case with a partition member support member that can support items stored upright.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator having a partition member that can store storage items of various sizes and shapes in a case of the refrigerator and can support storage items stored upright.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The refrigerator according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a case and a partition member. Storage items are stored in the case. The partition member is installed in the case so as to be able to intervene between a plurality of storage items at a predetermined height position. The partition member is storable.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a refrigerator having a partition member that can store storage items of various sizes and shapes in a case of the refrigerator and can support storage items stored upright.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same.

[0011] <Refrigerator> In the present disclosure, the "cooling cabinet" means generally anything that has an internal space (cooling chamber) at a temperature lower than the outside air temperature and can lower the temperature of the stored items. The cooling cabinet may be, for example, a refrigerator or a freezer. The cooling cabinet may have only one cooling chamber or may have a plurality of cooling chambers. When the cooling cabinet has a plurality of cooling chambers, the plurality of cooling chambers may include at least two of a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber, a vegetable chamber, a chilled chamber, a partial chamber, etc.

[0012] In this specification, the surface where the door is provided is referred to as the front or the front face of the cooling cabinet 1. And based on the arrangement of the cooling cabinet 1 installed in the normal state with the front face as a reference, each face of the cooling cabinet 1 is referred to as the back face, the top face, the bottom face, and the side faces. Also, the direction perpendicular to the front face and the back face is referred to as the front-back direction, the direction perpendicular to the top face and the bottom face is referred to as the height direction H (see FIG. 1), and the direction perpendicular to both side faces is referred to as the width direction W (see FIG. 1). Note that the directions of each storage space and each component constituting the cooling cabinet 1 may also be expressed based on the arrangement of this cooling cabinet 1.

[0013] 〔Overall Structure of the Cooling Cabinet〕 First, the overall structure of the cooling cabinet 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the cooling cabinet 1 as seen from the front. FIG. 2 shows the inside of the cooling cabinet 1 (specifically, the inside of the refrigerating chamber 11 and the freezing chamber 13).

[0014] The cooling cabinet 1 includes a housing 5 (heat-insulating box body) as a heat-insulating structure for thermally insulating each storage space from the surroundings. The housing 5 is composed of a heat-insulating layer, an outer box forming the outer shape of the cooling cabinet 1, an inner box forming the storage space of the cooling cabinet 1, etc. The heat-insulating layer includes a foam heat-insulating material and a vacuum heat-insulating material, etc.

[0015] The storage space of the cooling cabinet 1 is formed by the housing 5. The storage space formed by the housing 5 is partitioned, for example, in order from the upper stage, into a refrigerating chamber 11, a vegetable chamber, an ice-making chamber and a second freezing chamber, and a freezing chamber (drawer-type storage chamber) 13 by a plurality of partitions extending in the horizontal direction. The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with double doors 11a and 11b that are split left and right. The vegetable compartment is provided with a drawer-type door 12a. The freezer compartment 13 is provided with a drawer-type door 13a. The ice-making compartment is provided with a drawer-type door 14a. The second freezer compartment is provided with a drawer-type door 15a. A plurality of shelf boards 4 are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 11 (see Fig. 2). As a result, the interior of the refrigerator compartment 11 is divided into a plurality of storage spaces.

[0016] As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment is divided into a plurality of storage spaces and is provided with a refrigerator compartment 11, a freezer compartment 13, etc. However, the arrangement positions of the respective storage spaces are not limited to this. Also, the configuration of the doors provided in each storage space is not limited to the above.

[0017] 〔Configuration of Freezer Compartment〕 Next, a more detailed configuration of the freezer compartment 13 will be described. Fig. 3 shows the interior of the freezer compartment 13. In Fig. 3, a state in which the door 13a provided in the freezer compartment 13 is pulled out is shown. Figs. 4 and 5 show the side configuration of the freezer compartment 13. Fig. 6 shows the cross-sectional configuration of the freezer compartment 13. The figure is a longitudinal section of the freezer compartment 13 in the IV-IV cross-section of Fig. 1, showing a state in which the door 13a etc. are pulled out forward.

[0018] The freezer compartment 13 includes a drawer-type door 13a, a main body case 3, a case support portion 31, an auxiliary case 7, etc. The door 13a is arranged on the front surface of the freezer compartment 13 and is configured to be pullable forward.

[0019] 〔Case〕 In the refrigerator of the present embodiment, articles to be stored can be stored in the cases (main body case 3, auxiliary case 7, etc.) arranged in each of the above storage spaces. Partition members 6 (see Figs. 7 to 19. Not shown in Figs. 2 to 6) are installed in these cases.

[0020] In this embodiment, the case in which the partition member is installed may be arranged in each of the above storage spaces. The case can be arranged, for example, in a drawer-type storage compartment such as the freezer compartment 13, the second freezer compartment, or the vegetable compartment. Examples of the case include the main case 3 and the auxiliary case 7 arranged in the freezer compartment 13 (drawer-type storage compartment).

[0021] The case has an opening, for example, upward. That is, the case 2 may be composed of a bottom 20 and a side wall 21 extending in the height direction from the outer periphery of the bottom (see FIG. 7). In this case, it is possible to store the stored items into the case from above and take out the stored items in the case from above.

[0022] (Main case) The main case 3 is arranged on the back surface of the door 13a. More specifically, the main case 3 is supported by a case support portion 31 attached to the back surface of the door 13a.

[0023] The case support portion 31 is formed of a material having rigidity such as metal, for example. The case support portion 31 is attached to the back surface of the door 13a and extends in the front-rear direction along the side surface of the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, two case support portions 31 are provided, one being attached near the right end portion of the back surface of the door 13a and the other being attached near the left end portion of the back surface of the door 13a.

[0024] A moving roller (sliding portion) 32 is provided at the rear end portion of the case support portion 31. In a state where the door 13a is housed in the refrigerator 1, the moving roller 32 abuts against a rail (not shown) formed on the inner side wall of the housing 5. When the door 13a is pulled out from the refrigerator 1, the moving roller 32 slides on the rail while abutting against the bottom surface of the rail.

[0025] With the above configuration, when the door 13a is pulled forward to open the door 13a, as shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the main body case 3 supported by the case support portion 31 is also pulled out together with the door 13a. Thereby, the user can take out the articles stored in the main body case 3 of the freezer compartment 13. In this way, mainly, the pull-out type door 13a and the main body case 3 form the freezer compartment 13 which is an example of a pull-out type storage compartment.

[0026] (Auxiliary case) An auxiliary case 7 may be provided in the freezer compartment 13. When the door 13a is pulled out, the auxiliary case 7 does not move in conjunction with the movement of the door 13a and remains inside the compartment. Note that the auxiliary case 7 may not be provided in the freezer compartment 13.

[0027] The auxiliary case 7 is disposed on the upper stage side of the freezer compartment 13. The auxiliary case 7 has a substantially rectangular shape in a top view and has a size (planar area) substantially the same as the size (planar area) of the upper part of the main body case 3. That is, in a state where the door 13a is closed, the auxiliary case 7 covers the entire upper part of the main body case 3.

[0028] Sliding portions 71 are provided on both left and right side surfaces of the auxiliary case 7. In a state where the auxiliary case 7 is accommodated in the refrigerator 1, the sliding portions 71 are in contact with a second rail (not shown) formed on the inner side wall of the housing 5. In this way, the auxiliary case 7 has sliding portions 71 that slide on a rail different from the rail on which the moving roller 32 of the case support portion 31 slides (the second rail). Therefore, the auxiliary case 7 is not pulled forward in conjunction with the pulling-out operation of the door 13a. For example, by putting a hand on the front surface portion of the auxiliary case 7 and pulling it forward, the sliding portions 71 slide on the second rail and are pulled forward.

[0029] When the auxiliary case 7 is provided, for example, a mark line 34 may be provided on the side wall inside the main body case 3 at a height position that coincides with the bottom surface 7a of the auxiliary case 7 (see FIG. 3). When the user of the cooler 1 stores items in the main body case 3 inside the freezer compartment 13, by arranging each item so as not to exceed this marking line 34, it is possible to avoid each item placed on the main body case 3 hitting the auxiliary case 7 when the door 13a is returned into the compartment.

[0030] 〔Partition member〕 Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 19, the detailed configuration of the partition member 6 will be described.

[0031] The partition member 6 is installed in the above-described case 2 (for example, the main body case 3, the auxiliary case 7, etc.) in the cooler 1. At least one partition member 6 is provided in the case 2. A plurality of partition members 6 may be provided in the case 2.

[0032] In the form in which the partition member 6 is used as a partition for stored items, the partition member 6 is installed in the case 2 so as to be able to be interposed between a plurality of stored items 8 at a predetermined height position (see FIGS. 8, 12, 14, 17).

[0033] Here, the "predetermined height position" is, for example, a height position lower than the height of the stored item when the stored item 8 is placed upright in the case 2 (when placed vertically). Note that the partition member 6 only needs to be interposed at a height position lower than the height of the stored item when placed vertically, and may also be interposed at a height position higher than the height of the stored item when placed vertically.

[0034] The partition member 6 may have a function as a support member (vertical storage support member) for supporting the stored items stored upright in the case 2. When the partition member 6 is only interposed at a low height position, it becomes impossible to support the stored item 8 when placed vertically. Therefore, the partition member 6 is preferably interposed at a height position equal to or higher than the height at which the stored item 8 can be supported when placed vertically (for example, half the height of the stored item 8 when placed vertically).

[0035] Note that the partition member 6 is preferably arranged so as not to obstruct the upward removal of the stored item 8 (from the upper opening of the case 2).

[0036] And the partition member 6 is storable. "Storable" means that, with respect to the state of use of the partition member 6 in the case 2 (the state of being interposed between the stored items 8 when placed vertically), the partition member 6 can be moved from the position in the state of use to a state (stored state) without removing the partition member 6 from the case 2. Note that the partition member in the stored state preferably has a shorter protruding distance with respect to the bottom 20 and the side wall 21 of the case 2 than in the state of use. Note that "storable" specifically means, for example, foldable, shrinkable, etc.

[0037] The embodiments of the partition member 6 are exemplified below.

[0038] (Embodiment 1) The partition member 6 of Embodiment 1 shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 is a member including a rod-shaped member 61 extending in the horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the side wall 21 of the case 2) and a rod-shaped member 62 extending in the height direction H in the state of use (FIGS. 7 to 9).

[0039] In Embodiment 1 (and Embodiment 3), the partition member 6 is stored by deforming in the direction within the partition plane which is a plane including the height direction H and the direction of the partition member 6 (a direction perpendicular to the side wall 21 of the case 2).

[0040] In Embodiment 1, the two rod-shaped members 61, 62 constituting the partition member 6 are rotatably connected by a connecting member 63 (in the direction within the partition plane). Further, the rod-shaped member 61 is rotatably connected to the connecting portion 64b of the support member 64 (in the direction within the partition plane). With such a configuration, the partition member 6 of Embodiment 1 is foldable in the direction within the partition plane. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the two rod-shaped members 61, 62 are integrally stored in a folded state.

[0041] Note that the partition member 6 (the two rod-shaped members 61 and 62 integrally stored) can be stored along the side wall 21 (inner surface thereof) of the case 2. In this case, for example, when the stored item 8 is placed horizontally in the case 2, a storage space for the stored item 8 can be secured.

[0042] A recess (not shown) may be provided on the inner surface of the side wall 21 of the case 2, and the partition member 6 may be stored in the recess. In this case, for example, when the stored item 8 is placed horizontally in the case 2, a wider storage space for the stored item 8 can be secured.

[0043] A groove 64a is provided on the lower surface of the support member 64 of the partition member 6. In a state where the partition member 6 is disposed in the case 2, the groove 64a of the support member 64 is fitted to the upper end of the side wall 21 of the case 2.

[0044] Since the partition member 6 is only fitted to the upper end of the side wall 21 of the case 2 by the groove 64a of the support member 64, the support member 64 is removable (detachable) with respect to the upper end of the side wall 21 of the case 2. Thus, the partition member 6 of the first embodiment is removable (detachable) from the case 2. Therefore, when the partition member 6 is not required (when the stored item 8 is placed horizontally), the partition member 6 can be removed.

[0045] The partition member 6 can be moved to a desired position on the side wall 21 of the case 2 by being removed and reattached once. Further, the support member 64 is slidable in the horizontal direction (direction along the side wall 21) with respect to the upper end (linear portion thereof) of the side wall 21 of the case 2. Thereby, the partition member 6 can be installed at a position where the stored item 8 is desired to be stored upright. The position of the side wall where the partition member 6 is provided is not particularly limited, and may be the back side or the front side of the case 2, or either side in the width direction. In order to increase the degree of freedom in the installation position of the partition member 6, the thickness of the side wall 21 of the case 2 may be made the same so that the width of the groove 64a of the support portion 64 of the partition member 6 conforms to the thickness at any position of the side wall 21 of the case 2. For example, the thickness of the front and rear side walls and the widthwise side walls of the case 2 may be made the same.

[0046] A stopper portion (not shown) may be provided on the bottom surface of the case 2 (the upper surface of the bottom 20). The stopper portion is, for example, a concave portion or a convex portion provided on the bottom surface, and thereby the position of the lower end of the rod-shaped member 62 is fixed. Note that a plurality of stopper portions may be provided along the horizontal direction (for example, the depth direction of the case 2) in which the rod-shaped member 61 extends in the use state. With such stopper portions, the position of the lower end of the rod-shaped member 62 can be adjusted stepwise.

[0047] The partition member 6 only needs to be a support member that can support the stored items stored upright, and preferably does not have a plate-shaped member (partition plate) that completely partitions between the stored items 8 installed in the case 2 (as in Embodiments 1 to 3). In this case, there is an advantage that the partition member 6 can be easily stored and the volume of the partition member 6 in the stored state can be small.

[0048] When there are a plurality of partition members 6, each of the partition members 6 is preferably independently movable (able to select either the use state or the stored state). In this case, stored items 8 having various sizes, shapes, etc. can be stored in the case 2 in various ways, enabling highly flexible storage. Also, in the partition member 6 shown in FIG. 7 and the like, a plurality of partition members 6 connected to the support member 64 slide simultaneously, but it is not limited to such a form, and a plurality of partition members 6 may be slidable individually. In this case, the degree of freedom in installing the partition member 6 becomes higher.

[0049] The material of the partition member 6 is not particularly limited. For example, it can be formed by molding a resin material such as polystyrene or polyolefin (polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.) into a predetermined shape.

[0050] (Embodiment 2) The partition member 6 in Embodiment 2 shown in FIGS. 11 to 15 is a rod-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the side wall 21 of the case 2) in the use state (FIGS. 11 to 14).

[0051] The plurality of partition members 6 are supported by a pantograph-type telescopic member 65 (a framework member connected in an X-shaped intersection and rotatably connected) arranged along the side wall 21 of the case 2. In Embodiment 2, the pantograph-type telescopic member 65 (a framework member connected in an X-shaped intersection and rotatably connected) is telescopic in a direction perpendicular to the partition surface. Thereby, the partition member 6 in Embodiment 2 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the partition surface (for example, the width direction W or the front-rear direction) within the case 2. That is, the partition member 6 can be stored as in the stored state shown in FIG. 15.

[0052] (Embodiment 3) The partition member 6 in Embodiment 3 shown in FIGS. 16 to 19 is a rod-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the side wall 21 of the case 2) in the use state (FIGS. 16 to 18). The partition member 6 is rotatably connected to a support shaft 66. In the use state, the partition member 6 is supported by a spring 67. In the stored state (FIG. 19), the partition member 6 in Embodiment 3 can be fixed along the side wall 21 of the case 2 by a locking mechanism (not shown) or the like.

[0053] The partition member 6 shown in the above-described Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 3 is stored by deforming in the height direction H and the direction within the partition surface including the partition member 6. However, the partition member that deforms in the direction within the partition surface is not limited to these, and an accordion (bellows) - type telescopic member or the like may be used.

[0054] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included. Also, configurations obtained by combining the configurations of different embodiments described in this specification with each other are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0055] 1: Refrigerator 2: Case 20: Bottom 21: Side Wall 3: Main Body Case (Case) 6: Partition Member 61, 62: Rod - shaped Member 7: Auxiliary Case (Case) 8: Stored Item H: Height Direction

Claims

1. A case for storing a plurality of stored items, and a partition member installed in the case so as to be able to be interposed between the plurality of stored items at a predetermined height position, comprising a refrigerator. The partition member is storable.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is stored by deforming in the height direction and in a direction within a partition plane which is a plane including the partition member.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the partition member includes two rod-shaped members connected rotatably and is foldable in a direction within the partition plane.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the two integrally stored rod-shaped members can be stored along a side wall of the case.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a recess is provided on an inner surface of the side wall of the case, and the partition member can be stored in the recess.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is removable from the case.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is movable in a direction perpendicular to the partition plane within the case.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a stopper portion is provided on a bottom surface of the case.

9. The partition member installed in the case in the refrigerator according to claims 1 to 8.

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