refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that comprises easy-to-use door housing cases depending on a user's purpose.SOLUTION: A refrigerator according to an embodiment comprises a refrigerator body including a storage chamber, a door for openably closing the storage chamber, and a plurality of door housing cases arranged in an up-down direction inside the door. At least one of the plurality of door housing cases comprises a base attached to the door, and a case body comprising a housing part, and detachably attached to the base.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known to provide a door storage case on the door of a storage compartment of a refrigerator. The door storage case is a convenient storage device, but there is a strong demand for it to be more user-friendly according to the user's purpose. For example, conventional door storage cases allowed for greater freedom in storing items in the vertical direction, but as users store items of various sizes, there is a strong demand for the ability to store small items separately and for the case to be able to be easily removed from the door. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-207855 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-32349 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a refrigerator equipped with a door storage case that is easy to use according to the user's purpose. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A refrigerator according to an embodiment includes a refrigerator body including a storage compartment, a door having a rail portion extending in a vertical direction and capable of closing the storage compartment, and a plurality of door storage cases arranged vertically inside the door. At least one of the plurality of door storage cases includes a base attached to the door and a case body having a storage portion and detachably attached to the base. The base includes a lifting platform body movable in the vertical direction along the rail portion, a bottom surface portion supporting the case body from below, a front end plate portion extending downward from an edge of the bottom surface portion, and a lifting platform body movable in the vertical direction along the rail portion. Okeru Within the height range where the front end plate is formed At both ends of the width direction and is biased in the width direction to lock onto the door. a pair A locking member; The front end plate portion is provided in the vertical direction within a range of heights, Depending on the amount of movement in the depth direction a pair The locking member each An operating member that moves in the width direction; a pair and an unlocking mechanism that unlocks the door from the locking member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator according to a first embodiment with the door open. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the left refrigerator compartment door in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration of the inner surface member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the upper door storage case and the middle door storage case. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the upper door storage case and the middle door storage case. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lock release mechanism, as seen from the -Z direction side. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lock release mechanism, as viewed from the +Z direction side. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the bottom side of the lifting platform main body. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the structure of the case body of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of the case body of the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the structure of the case body of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the case body and the lifting platform of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view mainly showing the structure of a movement restricting portion in the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be denoted by the same reference numerals. For example, components having plane-symmetrical shapes may be denoted by the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of those components may be omitted.

[0008] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, up, down, left, and right are defined based on the direction as viewed from a user standing in front of the refrigerator. Furthermore, the side closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator as viewed from the refrigerator is defined as the "front," and the side further away is defined as the "rear." In this specification, the "width direction" refers to the left-right direction as defined above. In this specification, the "depth direction" refers to the front-to-back direction as defined above. The "up-down direction" refers to the height direction of the refrigerator.

[0009] As indicated by the arrows in the figure, the +X direction is the right direction, the -X direction is the left direction, the +Y direction is the backward direction, the -Y direction is the forward direction, the +Z direction is the upward direction, and the -Z direction is the downward direction.

[0010] In the description of the components included in the refrigerator door of the embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the description will be based on the arrangement when the door is closed. For example, when describing a revolving door, unless otherwise specified, the description will be based on the ±X direction and ±Y direction being fixed directions on the door even when it is open.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator according to a first embodiment with the door open. The overall configuration of refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 will be described below. However, refrigerator 1 does not need to have all of the components described below, and some components may be omitted as appropriate.

[0012] The refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a housing 10, a pair of refrigerator compartment doors (doors) 12 and 13, and a plurality of doors 11. The housing 10 includes, for example, an inner box, an outer box, and a heat insulating material. The inner box is made of, for example, synthetic resin and has a shape recessed from the front to the rear in multiple places. Each recess in the inner box forms multiple refrigerator compartments (storage compartments) 27. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the multiple refrigerator compartments 27 include refrigerator compartment 27A, vegetable compartment 27B, upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice making compartment 27E. Refrigerator compartment 27A, vegetable compartment 27B, upper freezer compartment 27C, and lower freezer compartment 27D are arranged in this order from top to bottom. Ice making compartment 27E is located to the left of upper freezer compartment 27C.

[0013] The housing 10 has an opening on the front side of each refrigerating compartment 27 that allows food ingredients to be put in and taken out of each refrigerating compartment 27. The outer box has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that forms the outer surface of the three sides of the housing 10 excluding the front side. The outer box is made of, for example, metal or a composite material of metal and resin. The heat insulating material is a foam heat insulating material such as urethane foam, and is filled between the inner box and the outer box, thereby providing the housing 10 with heat insulating properties.

[0014] In housing 10, various members are arranged between the inner box and the outer box, which together with housing 10 form refrigerator main body 5. Examples of members that form refrigerator main body 5 include a cooling unit that generates cold air, a flow path forming member that forms a flow path for circulating the cold air between each refrigerator compartment 27 and the cooling unit, a cooling fan that sends the cold air to each refrigerator compartment 27 through the flow path, and a control board that controls the operation of the cooling unit and the cooling fan.

[0015] The temperature of refrigerator compartment 27A is maintained lower than that of vegetable compartment 27B and higher than that of upper freezer compartment 27C and lower freezer compartment 27D. Inside refrigerator compartment 27A, for example, shelves that separate the compartment, chilled compartment containers, etc. are arranged. The entire surface of refrigerator compartment 27A is covered by refrigerator compartment doors (doors) 12 and 13 that open to the left and right and can be opened and closed.

[0016] The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 are doors provided to open and close the refrigerator compartment 27A, as shown in Figure 1. The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 have different width dimensions, and when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 1, the left refrigerator compartment door (first refrigerator compartment door) 12 has a narrower width than the right refrigerator compartment door 13.

[0017] Refrigerator compartment door 12 is connected to the left end of housing 10 in the -X direction, for example, by a pair of hinges 32 provided at the upper and lower ends on the left side. Refrigerator compartment door 13 is connected to the right end of housing 10 in the +X direction, for example, by a pair of hinges 33 provided at the upper and lower ends on the right side in the +X direction. This pair of refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 is rotatable in a horizontal plane about the rotation axes of hinges 32, 33 extending in the up-down direction (Z direction), and is a rotating double door that rotates to open toward both the left and right sides. A user can rotate and open refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 to the left or right by placing their hands in grooves 8 provided on the lower end of each refrigerator compartment door 12, 13 and pulling them toward themselves.

[0018] The multiple doors 11 are provided to open and close vegetable compartment 27B, upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice making compartment 27E. Vegetable compartment door 11B, upper freezer compartment door 11C, lower freezer compartment door 11D, and ice making compartment door 11E cover the front of vegetable compartment 27B, upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice making compartment 27E, respectively.

[0019] The temperature inside vegetable compartment 27B is maintained higher than that inside refrigerator compartment 27A. Inside vegetable compartment 27B, for example, a vegetable compartment container for storing stored items such as vegetables and a guide rail for moving the vegetable compartment container in the depth direction (Y direction) are provided. The front of vegetable compartment 27B is covered by a drawer-type vegetable compartment door 11B that can be opened and closed. A heat insulating material is arranged inside vegetable compartment door 11B. A gasket is provided on the outer edge of the inner surface of vegetable compartment door 11B, which abuts against the front surface of the inner box that forms the front opening of vegetable compartment 27B. When vegetable compartment door 11B is closed, the opening of vegetable compartment 27B is adiabatically closed. A vegetable compartment container is connected to the inner surface side of vegetable compartment door 11B. Vegetable compartment door 11B is movable in the depth direction together with the vegetable compartment container along a guide rail on which the vegetable compartment container is placed.

[0020] The temperatures inside upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice-making compartment 27E are maintained at temperatures that allow the stored items to be frozen. Inside upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice-making compartment 27E, for example, a small freezer compartment, a freezer container for accommodating the stored items to be frozen, and guide rails for moving the freezer container in the depth direction are provided. The front faces of upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D and ice making compartment 27E are covered by drawer-type upper freezer compartment door 11C, lower freezer compartment door 11D and ice making compartment door 11E which can be opened and closed. Heat insulating material is placed inside upper freezer compartment door 11C, lower freezer compartment door 11D, and ice making compartment door 11E. Gaskets are provided on the outer edges of the inner surfaces of upper freezer compartment door 11C, lower freezer compartment door 11D, and ice making compartment door 11E, respectively, and come into contact with the front surfaces of the inner boxes that form the front openings of upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D, and ice making compartment 27E. When upper freezer compartment door 11C, lower freezer compartment door 11D and ice making compartment door 11E are closed, the openings of upper freezer compartment 27C, lower freezer compartment 27D and ice making compartment 27E are adiabatically closed. Freezer containers are connected to the inner surfaces of upper freezer door 11C, lower freezer door 11D, and ice-making door 11E. Upper freezer door 11C and lower freezer door 11D can move in the depth direction together with the freezer containers along guide rails on which the freezer containers are placed.

[0021] The above-described configurations of the refrigerator compartments 27 and the doors 11 are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples.

[0022] The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 shown in Fig. 1 have a surface that faces the user when viewed from the front of refrigerator 1 in the closed state, and an inner surface on the refrigerator compartment 27A side. A plurality of door storage cases 56, 54 are provided on the inside of each refrigerator compartment door 12, 13. In this embodiment, three door storage cases 56 are arranged above and below refrigerator compartment door 12, and three door storage cases 54 are arranged above and below refrigerator compartment door 13, so that each refrigerator compartment door 12, 13 has a three-tiered structure.

[0023] Each door storage case 56 provided on the refrigerator compartment door 12 of this embodiment is partially cut out to avoid interference with the surrounding area due to the rotation path of the refrigerator compartment door 12 when the refrigerator compartment door 12 is rotated around each hinge 32 to open or close, and has an asymmetrical shape in the width direction (X direction). Each door storage case 56 has a cutout portion 3 on one side in the width direction, which is the side that faces the user when the door is rotated. The cutout portion 3 is formed, for example, by cutting out one corner of a rectangular shape when the door storage case 56 is viewed from above (+Z direction). When the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed, the cutout portion 3 of each door storage case 56 on the refrigerator compartment door 12 faces each door storage case 54 on the refrigerator compartment door 13 in the width direction. In this embodiment, the door storage case 56 having the cutout portion 3 is installed only on the left refrigerator compartment door 12 side, but the door storage case 54 having the cutout portion 3 may also be installed on the right refrigerator compartment door 13 side.

[0024] On the inside of the right-side refrigerator compartment door 13, there are provided, in order from top to bottom, an upper door storage case 54A, a middle door storage case 54B, and a lower door storage case 54C. These three door storage cases 56 (upper door storage case 56A, middle door storage case 56B, lower door storage case 56C) are arranged at predetermined intervals from one another in the vertical direction, and may be removably attached to the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 13 or may be fixed thereto.

[0025] Provided inside the left refrigerator compartment door 12 are a lower door storage case 56C located at the lowest position on refrigerator compartment door 12, a middle door storage case 56B located above the lower door storage case 56C, and an upper door storage case 56A located above the middle door storage case 56B and at the highest position on refrigerator compartment door 12. These three door storage cases 56 (upper door storage case 56A, middle door storage case 56B, lower door storage case 56C) are arranged at predetermined intervals from one another in the vertical direction.

[0026] Of these, upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B are attached so as to be movable up and down relative to the inner surface of refrigerator compartment door 12. Lower door storage case 56C may be attached so as to be detachable relative to the inner surface of refrigerator compartment door 12, or may be fixed thereto.

[0027] In this way, in the refrigerator compartment door 12 of this embodiment, the vertical positions of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B can be changed in multiple stages within their respective movement ranges. The movement pitch and movement range of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B are set so that the relative positions when moved can be optimized according to the height of the stored items.

[0028] In the case of a French-door refrigerator, the width dimensions of refrigerator compartment doors 12, 13 are different, and therefore the width dimensions of door storage cases 56, 54 installed on each door are also different. Door storage case 56 installed on the narrower refrigerator compartment door 12 side is smaller in size than door storage case 54 installed on the wider refrigerator compartment door 13 side, and therefore the number and weight of items that can be stored are smaller than those of door storage case 54, and it is less likely to be heavy. For this reason, in this embodiment, door storage case 56 installed on the narrower refrigerator compartment door 12 side is designed to be movable up and down.

[0029] (Refrigerator door) Next, the detailed configuration of the refrigerator compartment door will be described. The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 12 and 13 shown in FIG. 1 have the same basic structure, so the following description will mainly focus on the left refrigerator compartment door 12.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the left refrigerator compartment door 12 in the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, refrigerator compartment door 12 includes, for example, an outer casing member 50A and a gasket 55A (Fig. 3). Outer casing member 50A is formed in a box shape. In this specification, the term "box shape" also includes a flat box shape. Outer casing member 50A includes, for example, a frame body 51A, a surface panel 52A, and an inner surface member 53.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, each of the frame bodies 51A is formed in a rectangular frame shape with a predetermined width. The frame 51A includes an upper edge member 51a, a lower edge member 51b, and side edge members 51c and 51d. When the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed, the upper edge member 51a is plate-shaped and extends along the width and depth directions, forming the upper surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The lower edge member 51b is plate-shaped and extends along the width and depth directions, forming the lower surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The side edge members 51c and 51d are plate-shaped and extend along the up-down and depth directions, forming the left and right side surfaces of the refrigerator compartment door 12, respectively. The upper edge member 51a, the lower edge member 51b, and the side edge members 51c and 51d are combined with each other to form the rectangular frame 51A. The frame 51A is made of, for example, a synthetic resin.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2, a concave groove 8 that is recessed upward (in the +Z direction) is formed in the bottom edge member 51b of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The groove 8 is formed on the side closer to the refrigerator compartment door 13 when the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed. The groove 8 is where the user places their hand when opening the refrigerator compartment door 12. In addition, a recessed groove portion 8 recessed upward is formed in the lower side member 51b of refrigerator compartment door 13. Groove portion 8 is formed on the side closer to refrigerator compartment door 12 when refrigerator compartment door 13 is closed.

[0033] The face plates 52A are attached to the frame 51A so as to close the opening on the front side, and are respectively located at the front end of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The face plates 52A are rectangular plate members that fit the frame 51A, and form the front surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The face plates 52A are, for example, glass plates. However, the face plates 52A are not limited to glass plates, and may be made of synthetic resin or other materials. The surface plate 52A may be a flat plate or a curved plate, and the following description will be given taking the surface plate 52A as a flat plate.

[0034] The inner surface members 53 are attached to the frame 51A from the side opposite to the front panel 52A, and are positioned on the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12. The outer shape of the inner surface members 53 is a rectangular plate member that fits along the frame 51A. The inner surface members 53 are made of, for example, synthetic resin. The inner surface member 53 has a flat inner surface 53a that faces the refrigerator compartment 27A when the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed relative to the housing 10, and a rib 61 that protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface 53a toward the refrigerator compartment 27A.

[0035] The rib 61 is provided mainly to prevent the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 27A from escaping through the gap between the refrigerator compartment door 12 and the housing 10. In this specification, the term "rib" is used for the sake of convenience and broadly refers to a portion that protrudes rearward from the inner surface member 53, and is not limited to a specific shape or function.

[0036] Although not specifically shown, the space between the inner surface member 53 and the surface plate 52A and the inside of the convex shape of the rib 61 are filled with a foam insulating material.

[0037] Gasket 55A is provided to seal refrigerator compartment 27A so that cold air inside refrigerator compartment 27A does not leak to the outside from between refrigerator compartment door 12 and housing 10 when refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed. Gasket 55A is attached to inner surface member 53 in the form of a ring surrounding the outer periphery of frame body 51A. There are no particular limitations on the method of attaching gasket 55A. For example, gasket 55A may be attached by a recessed / protruding fit between an attachment protrusion provided on gasket 55A and an attachment recess provided on inner surface member 53.

[0038] (Configuration of inner surface components) Here, the detailed configuration of the inner surface member 53 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the detailed configuration of the inner surface member 53. As shown in FIG. 3, the ribs 61 provided on the inner surface member 53 of the refrigerator compartment door 12 include, for example, a group of annular ribs that are slightly smaller than the outer shape of the frame body 51A. In this specification, the term "annular" is not limited to a completely continuous periphery, but also includes a case where a portion is interrupted by a notch or the like.

[0039] The annular rib group in the rib 61 includes an upper rib 61F extending in the width direction along the top side member 51a, a lower rib 61G extending in the width direction along the bottom side member 51b, a side rib 61C extending in the vertical direction along the side member 51c on one side in the width direction, and a side rib 61D extending in the vertical direction along the side member 51d on the other side in the width direction. The upper rib 61F and the lower rib 61G have the same length in the width direction. The side ribs 61C and 61D have the same length in the vertical direction.

[0040] The side ribs 61C, 61D and the lower rib 61G protrude further toward the refrigerator compartment 27A than the upper rib 61F. For example, the protrusion amount of the side ribs 61C, 61D and the lower rib 61G is more than half the protrusion amount of the upper rib 61F.

[0041] 3, the pair of side ribs 61C, 61D protrude in the +Y direction from both widthwise ends of the inner surface 53a in the X direction toward the refrigerator compartment 27A (rearward), and extend in the vertical direction from the upper rib 61F to the position of the lower rib 61G. The lateral rib 61D has different protrusion amounts in the vertical direction, and the rib tip side is formed by a first tip portion 61a and a second tip portion 61b which have different protrusion heights in the +Y direction, and a step portion 61c formed between them.

[0042] 3, of the side ribs 61C, 61D, the side surfaces S1, S2 that face each other in the width direction are planes that are substantially perpendicular to the inner surface 53a of the inner surface member 53. The side surface S1 of the side rib 61C faces the -X direction and faces the other side rib 61D. The side surface S2 of the side rib 61D faces the +X direction and faces one side rib 61C. Each of the side surfaces S1 and S2 has an inclined surface Sa at its lower end. The inclined surfaces Sa on the side surfaces S1 and S2 are inclined in such a direction that the inclined surfaces Sa approach each other as they go downward, and the thickness of the lower end portions of the side ribs 61C and 61D increases.

[0043] The side surfaces S1, S2 of the lateral ribs 61C, 61D are respectively provided with a step portion 53c, a rail portion 64, and a locking projection 65. The step portion 53c and the rail portion 64 extend in the vertical direction, and the locking projection 65 is located below the step portion 53c and the rail portion 64 with a gap therebetween.

[0044] The step 53c provided on one side rib 61C projects in the −X direction from the side surface S1 toward the other side rib 61D. A step 53c (FIG. 2) provided on the other side rib 61D projects in the +X direction from the side surface S2 toward the one side rib 61C. End faces 53cy of each step 53c provided on side ribs 61C, 61D are substantially parallel to side faces S1, S2. The protrusion height of step 53c in the X direction from side faces S1, S2 is not particularly limited. For example, the protrusion height of step 53c from side face S2 in the -X direction may slightly exceed the protrusion height of rail portion 64 (described later) in the -X direction. In this case, the -X direction end faces of step 53c approach the +X direction side faces of upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B (described later) and can function as guide surfaces in the width direction of upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B.

[0045] 3, the rail portion 64 extends vertically parallel to the end surface 53cy of the step portion 53c, with a gap in the Y direction between the rail portion 64 and the end surface 53cy. A gap G1 is formed between the upper end of the rail portion 64 and the lower surface 61g of the upper rib 61F. The upper end of the step portion 53c is connected to the lower surface 61g (FIG. 2) of the upper rib 61F, and the lower end of the step portion 53c is positioned at the same position as the lower end of the rail portion 64, which will be described later.

[0046] The rail portions 64 provided on the side ribs 61C, 61D have the same configuration. As shown in Fig. 3, the rail portion 64 provided on the lateral rib 61C is a protrusion that protrudes perpendicularly in the -X direction from the side surface S1 of the lateral rib 61C and extends vertically as a long, thin line. As shown in Fig. 3, the rail portion 64 provided on the lateral rib 61D is a protrusion that protrudes perpendicularly in the +X direction from the side surface S2 of the lateral rib 61D and extends vertically as a long, thin line. A pair of rail sections 64 on both the left and right sides guide the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B in the vertical direction while regulating their position in the depth direction (Y direction) when the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B described below are moved in the vertical direction. 3, the rail portions 64 extend parallel to the end surface 53cy of the step portion 53c with a gap between them in the depth direction. The upper ends of the rail portions 64 do not reach the upper ends of either of the side ribs 61C, 61D, but are located at a distance downward from the upper ends of the side ribs 61C, 61D. The lower end of the rail portion 64 extends to approximately the same position as the step portion 53c. The rail portion 64 has a first rail portion 64a and a second rail portion 64b.

[0047] The first rail portion 64a guides the vertical movement of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B described below, and regulates the vertical movement positions of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B in multiple stages. The first rail portion 64a has a first guide 64c, a second guide 64d, a plurality of locking plates 64e, an upper end plate 64g, a lower end plate 64k, and a plurality of inclined ribs 64fa.

[0048] The first guide 64c forms the -Y direction side surface of the rail portion 64. The first guide 64c is a flat plate that protrudes in the -X direction from the side surface S and extends in the vertical direction. The first guide 64c extends to the second rail portion 64b. The second guide 64d forms the side surface of the rail portion 64 in the +Y direction. The second guide 64d is a flat plate that protrudes in the -X direction from the side surface S and extends in the vertical direction. The second guide 64d is parallel to the first guide 64c. Like the first guide 64c, the second guide 64d extends to the second rail portion 64b. The tips of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d are located on the same plane perpendicular to the depth direction.

[0049] The multiple locking plates 64e in the rail portion 64 are plate-shaped and extend in the depth direction (Y direction) between the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d, protruding perpendicularly from the side surface S. The multiple locking plates 64e are provided spaced apart from one another in the up-down direction from the lower ends of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d to the upper end of the first rail portion 64a. The pitch of the locking plates 64e in the up-down direction does not have to be constant, but is constant in the example shown in FIG. 3. In the example shown in FIG. 3, 17 locking plates 64e are arranged. The tip of each locking plate 64e in the protruding direction is located on the same plane as the tips of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d located on both sides of each locking plate 64e in the width direction.

[0050] The upper end plate 64g is a plate-like member that extends in the depth direction between the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d and protrudes vertically from the side surface S. The upper end plate 64g is located higher than the multiple locking plates 64e and is spaced upward from the uppermost locking plate 64e at a pitch that is approximately equal to the pitch between the locking plates 64e.

[0051] The lower end plate 64k is a plate-like member that extends in the depth direction (Y direction) between the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d and protrudes vertically from the side surface S. The lower end plate 64k is located lower than the lowest locking plate 64e and is spaced downward from the lowest locking plate 64e by an interval wider than the pitch between the locking plates 64e.

[0052] The inclined ribs 64fa are provided on the lower surface of each of the locking plates 64e (excluding the lower end plate 64k) and on the lower surface of the upper end plate 64g. A pair of the inclined ribs 64fa is provided on the lower surface of each of the locking plates 64e and the lower surface of the upper end plate 64g, and they are spaced apart in the depth direction. Furthermore, the inclined ribs 64fa are also spaced apart in the depth direction relative to the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d.

[0053] The inclined rib 64fa is a plate-like shape extending parallel to the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d. When viewed from the Y direction, each inclined rib 64fa has a triangular shape that gradually slopes downward from the tip of each protruding side of each locking plate 64e and upper end plate 64g in the X direction toward the side surface S. The lower end of each inclined rib 64fa is located in the middle of the pitch. In this embodiment, the number of inclined ribs 64fa provided on the same lower surface is two, but the number of inclined ribs 64fa provided on the same lower surface in the depth direction is not particularly limited as long as it is one or more.

[0054] With this configuration, multiple protrusions are arranged vertically at approximately equal intervals on the inside of the first rail portion 64a from bottom to top. The multiple protrusions are formed by inclined surfaces 64j formed by the inclined ribs 64fa, the tip surfaces of the locking plates 64e, and locking surfaces 64i formed on the upper surfaces of the locking plates 64e and extending horizontally. Relative recesses are formed between each of the protrusions protruding from the side surface S in the X direction. Therefore, a sawtooth-like uneven structure is formed on the inside of the first rail portion 64a, with the inclined surfaces 64j facing downward.

[0055] A first locking portion 70, which will be described later, is locked onto the uneven structure of the rail portion 64. That is, the first locking portion 70 is locked onto each of the locking surfaces 64i of the plurality of locking plates 64e. The inclined surfaces 64j of the multiple inclined ribs 64fa are inclined so that they protrude more toward the door center as they go upward. When the door storage case 56 rises, the first locking portion 70 (described below) moves along the inclined surfaces 64j of the inclined ribs 64fa and is pressed horizontally and retracted. The locking surface 64i of the locking plate 64e may be flat or curved as long as it can lock the locking member 73 (described later). The contact form of the portion of the locking surface 64i where the locking member 73 is locked may be any of surface contact, line contact, and point contact as long as it can lock the locking member 73. The inclined surfaces of the inclined rib 64fa may be flat or curved as long as the locking member 73 (described later) can slide on them. The contact form of the portion of the multiple inclined surfaces on which the locking member 73 slides may be any of surface contact, line contact, and point contact as long as the locking member 73 can slide on them.

[0056] The second rail portion 64b has the upper end portions of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d of the first rail portion 64a, and an intermediate rib 64h located between these upper end portions. The intermediate rib 64h is a flat plate parallel to the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d. The vertical length of the intermediate rib 64h is equal to the length from the upper end plate 64g to the upper ends of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d. The lower end of the intermediate rib 64h is connected to the upper surface of the upper end plate 64g. The protruding height of the intermediate rib 64h is equal to the protruding height of the first guide 64c and the second guide 64d. The number of intermediate ribs 64h is not particularly limited as long as it is equal to or greater than 1. In the example shown in Fig. 3, there is one intermediate rib 64h. A linear protrusion protrudes in the X direction from the side surface S of each of the side ribs 61C, 61D toward the other side rib facing it in the width direction, forming a vertically extending linear protrusion. The tip surface of the protruding side of the second rail portion 64b is flush with a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

[0057] A recessed groove g1 extending in the vertical direction is formed between the rail portion 64 and the end surface 53cy of the step portion 53c. A lowered position restricting portion 53d is provided between the lower end of the rail portion 64 and the step portion 53c. The lowered position restricting portion 53d is provided to restrict the lowered position of the middle door storage case 56B.

[0058] The shape of lowered position restricting portion 53d is not particularly limited as long as it can restrict the lowered position of middle door storage case 56B by protruding vertically into groove g1 from side surface S. In the example shown in Fig. 3, lowered position restricting portion 53d connects first guide 64c of rail portion 64 and end face 53cy of step portion 53c, and closes groove g1 from below. The vertical position of the lowered position restricting portion 53d is an appropriate position according to the lowest position of the middle door storage case 56B. A pair of inclined ribs 64fb are provided on the lower surface of the lowered position restricting portion 53d. The pair of inclined ribs 64fb are slightly larger than the inclined rib 64fa and also serve to reinforce the lowered position restricting portion 53d.

[0059] Locking projection 65 is provided to securely or detachably lock lower door storage case 56C shown in Fig. 2. The shape of locking projection 65 is not particularly limited as long as it can detachably lock lower door storage case 56C.

[0060] 3, the locking protrusion 65 has a generally rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction when viewed from the X direction. The locking protrusion 65 has a width in the depth direction that is approximately the same as that of the rail portion 64, and is disposed directly below the rail portion 64 at a predetermined distance from the rail portion 64. A gap G2 is formed between the lower end of the rail portion 64 and the upper end of the locking protrusion 65.

[0061] 3, the locking projection 65 of the lateral rib 61C is formed on the inclined surface Sa at the lower end of the side surface S1 and protrudes in the -X direction. The locking projection 65 of the lateral rib 61D is formed on the inclined surface Sa at the lower end of the side surface S2 and protrudes in the +X direction. The tip surfaces of the protruding sides of the locking projections 65 are parallel to the vertical direction.

[0062] The lower rib 61G connects the lower ends of the side ribs 61C and 61D together. The lower rib 61G has an upper surface 61f that slopes downward toward the refrigerator compartment 27A.

[0063] (Door storage case) Next, the configuration of the door storage case will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, of the three door storage cases 56 installed on the refrigerator compartment door 12, the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B can each move in the vertical direction along the opposing rail portions 64 between the side ribs 61C and 61D. Furthermore, upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B of this embodiment have two storage sections (first storage section 571 and second storage section 572) that can separately store items of different sizes. Specifically, first storage section 571 is suitable for storing relatively tall items, and second storage section 572 is suitable for storing small items. As will be described in more detail below, in this embodiment, second storage section 572 is a drawer-type storage section, and both upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B are configured with drawer section 573.

[0064] The width, depth, and length of upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B may be different from each other, but in this embodiment, upper-door storage cases 56A and 56B are assumed to be the same shape, and the description will be given using the example of upper-door storage case 56A. The description of upper-door storage case 56A also applies to middle-door storage case 56B, except for the difference in placement.

[0065] The lower door storage case 56C can be attached to the space below the middle door storage case 56B and sandwiched between the side ribs 61C and 61D. Lower door storage case 56C can be removably placed on lower rib 61G by engaging with locking protrusions 65, which will be described later and are shown in Figure 3. However, when attached, lower door storage case 56C is fixed in position in the vertical direction.

[0066] (Upper door storage case and middle door storage case) Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B. 4, upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B are box-shaped containers that open upward as a whole. Upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B have case body 57 and lifting platform (base) 67. Upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B have left-right asymmetric shapes in the width direction.

[0067] Case body 57 accommodates the items to be stored in refrigerating compartment 27A. As shown in Fig. 4, case body 57 is a box-shaped container that opens upward, and is placed on lifting platform 67 and detachably attached to lifting platform 67. The lifting platform 67 detachably supports the case body 57, and is movable up and down along each rail portion 64 between the side ribs 61C, 61D while supporting the case body 57. The lifting platform 67 is locked to one of the multiple locking plates 64e on each rail portion 64, thereby fixing its position in the up and down direction.

[0068] ((Case body)) 4, case main body 57 has housing 570 having first storage section 571 that opens upward, and drawer section 573 that is located below first storage section 571 in housing 570 and can be drawn out in the horizontal direction. Drawer section 573 has second storage section 572. Drawer section 573 is separate from housing 570, and may or may not be detachable from housing 570.

[0069] As shown in Figure 5, the housing 570 of the case main body 57 has a wall portion 57c, a pair of side wall portions 57d, a first bottom surface portion 57aa, a pair of step portions 57e, a pair of first side wall portions 57fa, a first cutout wall portion 57xa, and a first wall portion 57ba, which mainly constitute the first storage portion 571 side, and a second bottom surface portion 57ab (Figure 4), a pair of second side wall portions 57fb, a second cutout wall portion 57xb, and a second wall portion 57bb, which mainly constitute the side below the first storage portion 571.

[0070] The first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab are each horizontally disposed flat plate. The width of the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab in the width direction is narrower on the -Y direction side of the approximate center in the depth direction than on the +Y direction side. The first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab are disposed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, with the second bottom surface portion 57ab located below the first bottom surface portion 57aa. A drawer portion 573, which will be described later, is inserted into a gap 574 formed between the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab, which are disposed above and below each other.

[0071] The first wall portion 57ba extends in the +Z direction from the outer edge of the first bottom surface portion 57aa in the +Y direction. The second wall portion 57bb extends in the -Z direction from the outer edge of the second bottom surface portion 57ab in the +Y direction. The second wall portion 57bb covers the bottom plate portion of the lifting platform 67 (described later) from the -Y direction. The first wall portion 57ba and the second wall portion 57bb are flat plate-shaped and parallel to each other in the width direction, and are aligned with each other when viewed from above.

[0072] The pair of first sidewall portions 57fa are peripheral edges of the first bottom surface portion 57aa in the +X direction and −X direction, and extend in the +Z direction from the wide portion of the first bottom surface portion 57aa. The pair of second side walls 57fb are peripheral edges of the second bottom surface 57ab in the +X and -X directions, and extend in the -Z direction from a wide portion of the second bottom surface 57ab. The pair of second side walls 57fb extending in the -Z direction have a length sufficient to cover the bottom plate portion of the lift platform 67 (described later) from the +X and -X directions, respectively. The first side wall portion 57fa and the second side wall portion 57fb are flat and parallel to the depth direction, and coincide with each other when viewed from above. The first side wall portion 57fa located on the −X direction side of the first bottom surface portion 57aa has an end portion in the +Y direction connected to the first wall portion 57ba. The first side wall portion 57fa located on the +X direction side of the first bottom surface portion 57aa has a width in the depth direction (Y direction) narrower than that of the first side wall portion 57fa located on the -X direction side, and its end portion in the +Y direction is connected to the first cutout wall portion 57xa.

[0073] The first cutout wall portion 57xa is a peripheral edge of the first bottom surface portion 57aa on the +X direction side, and extends in the +Z direction from a portion that is wide in the +Y direction. The second cutout wall portion 57xb is a peripheral edge of the second bottom surface portion 57ab on the +X direction side, and extends in the -Z direction from a wide portion in the +Y direction. The second cutout wall portion 57xb extending in the -Z direction is long enough to cover the bottom plate portion of the lift platform 67 (described later) from the +X direction. When viewed from above, the first cutout wall portion 57xa slopes from the first side wall portion 57fa located on the +X side of the first bottom surface portion 57aa toward the +Y direction and then slopes toward the first wall portion 57ba in the -X direction, connecting the first side wall portion 57fa and the first wall portion 57ba at an angle. In top view, second cutout wall portion 57xb is inclined in the +X direction from first side wall portion 57fa, which is located on the +X direction side of second bottom surface portion 57ab, toward second wall portion 57bb, and diagonally connects second side wall portion 57fb and second wall portion 57bb. Second cutout wall portion 57xb is inclined in both the depth direction and the width direction and coincides with each other when viewed from above.

[0074] The wall portions 57c are located on the outer edges of the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab in the -Y direction, connecting the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab. The wall portions 57c extend in the +Z direction from the outer edges of the second bottom surface portion 57ab in the -Y direction toward the first bottom surface portion 57aa, with their upper ends positioned further in the +Z direction than the first bottom surface portion 57aa. The height of the wall portions 57c is the same as the height of the pair of side wall portions 57d and is equal to the height from the lower surface of the second bottom surface portion 57ab to the lower surface of the flange portion 57j. The wall portions 57c are flat and parallel to the width direction.

[0075] The pair of side walls 57d are located on the +X and -X peripheries of the first bottom surface 57aa and the second bottom surface 57ab, connecting the first bottom surface 57aa and the second bottom surface 57ab. Each side wall 57d extends in the +Z direction from a narrow portion on the -Y direction side of the second bottom surface 57ab toward the first bottom surface 57aa, with its upper end located on the +Z direction side of the first bottom surface 57aa. The height of each side wall 57d is equal to the height of the wall 57c. The pair of side walls 57d are flat and parallel to each other in the depth direction. The -Y direction ends of each side wall 57d are connected to both ends of the wall 57c in the width direction.

[0076] The pair of step portions 57e are located at each edge formed in the width direction by narrowing the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab. Each step portion 57e is flat and parallel to the width direction. The width direction ends of each step portion 57e are connected to the -Y direction end of the first side wall portion 57fa and the +Y direction end of the side wall portion 57d, respectively. The step portion 57e extends in the vertical direction, with its lower end connected to the outer peripheral edge of the second bottom surface portion 57ab and its upper end located further in the +Z direction than the first bottom surface portion 57aa. The height of the step portion 57e is equal to the height of the wall portion 57c.

[0077] A flange portion 57g extending outward from the case body 57 in the width direction is formed on the upper end of each side wall portion 57d and each step portion 57e. A locking protrusion (second locking portion: movement restricting portion) 57h is formed on the underside of each flange portion 57g, protruding outward from each side wall portion 57d and extending in the -Z direction from the flange portion 57g. The locking protrusion 57h is used to position the case main body 57 in the depth direction when it is attached to the lifting platform 67. The locking projections 57h are formed at positions that face the rail portions 64 shown in Fig. 3 in the width direction when the upper-door storage case 56A is attached. However, the height at which the locking projections 57h protrude from the side wall portions 57d is set so that the distance between the locking projections 57h in the width direction is narrower than the distance between the rail portions 64 of the side ribs 61C, 61D in the width direction. Therefore, there is no risk of the rail portions 64 and the locking projections 57h coming into contact when the upper-door storage case 56A is attached or moved up and down.

[0078] A flange 57j extending in the -Y direction is formed at the upper end of the wall 57c. The height and thickness of the flange 57j are the same as those of the flange 57g. A protrusion 57i extending in the width direction protrudes in the +Z direction on the flange portion 57j.

[0079] The housing 570 of this embodiment has a first storage section 571 composed of a first bottom surface section 57aa, a wall section 57c along its peripheral edge, a pair of side wall sections 57d, a pair of step sections 57e, a pair of first side wall sections 57fa, a first cutout wall section 57xa, and a first wall section 57ba. Furthermore, housing 570 of the present embodiment has gap 574 below first housing portion 571. Gap 574 is a gap for arranging drawer portion 573 that constitutes second housing portion 572, and is formed between first bottom surface portion 57aa and second bottom surface portion 57ab (FIG. 4). Gap 574 opens to the outer periphery of the wide portion on the +Y side of first bottom surface portion 57aa and second bottom surface portion 57ab, and the outer periphery of the narrow portion on the -Y side is closed by wall portion 57c and a pair of side wall portions 57d.

[0080] (Drawer section) 4, drawer 573 disposed in gap 574 has a bottom surface 573a, a pair of side wall portions 573d extending in the +Z direction from the outer peripheral edge of bottom surface 573a, a pair of step portions 573e, a pair of side wall portions 573f, a notched wall portion 573x, and a wall portion 573b. When viewed from above, the outer shape of drawer 573 substantially matches the outer shape of housing 570, and is asymmetric in the width direction.

[0081] The bottom surface portion 573a is a horizontally disposed flat plate having substantially the same shape as the first bottom surface portion 57aa and the second bottom surface portion 57ab of the housing 570.

[0082] The wall portion 573c is located on the outer peripheral edge of the narrow portion of the bottom surface portion 573a on the −Y direction side, and has a flat plate shape parallel to the width direction.

[0083] The pair of side walls 573d are flat plates parallel to the depth direction and located on both sides of the narrow width portion in the +X and -X directions. The -Y direction ends of each side wall 573d are connected to the widthwise ends of the wall 573c. Meanwhile, the +Y direction ends of each side wall 573d are connected to the step portion 573e.

[0084] The step portion 573e is a flat plate-like portion that protrudes outward in the width direction from the side wall portion 573d, and is located on the outer peripheral edge of the wide portion of the bottom surface portion 573a on the −Y direction side.

[0085] The pair of side walls 573f are flat plates parallel to the depth direction and located on both sides of the wide portion in the width direction. The side wall 573f on the +X direction side is narrower in the depth direction than the side wall 573f on the -X direction side and is connected to the wall 573b via the notched wall 573x. The side wall 573f on the -X direction side is directly connected to the wall 573b.

[0086] The cutout wall portion 573x is located at the outer edge portion on the +X direction side of the wide portion, and when viewed from above, it slopes toward the wall portion 573b in the -X direction as it extends from the side wall portion 573f located on the +X direction side toward the +Y direction, and diagonally connects the side wall portion 573f and the wall portion 573b.

[0087] The wall portion 573b is located at the outer edge of the wide portion on the +Y direction side, and has a flat plate shape parallel to the width direction. In this way, a box-shaped drawer section 573 having an opening at the top is formed.

[0088] When drawer 573 is housed in housing 570, a pair of side walls 573f, notched wall 573x, and wall 573b that are side walls of drawer 573 are flush with first side wall 57fa and second side wall 57fb, first notched wall 57xa and second notched wall 57xa, and first wall 57ba and second wall 57bb that are side walls on the housing 570 side. That is, drawer 573 is housed without protruding from housing 570.

[0089] A handle portion 573n that protrudes in the +Y direction is formed at the center of the upper end side of wall portion 573b of drawer portion 573. Handle portion 573n makes it easy for the user to pull out drawer portion 573. Note that the shape of handle portion 573n is not limited to the shape shown in the figure and can be changed as appropriate.

[0090] Drawer section 573 housed within housing 570 can be pulled out in the depth direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4. Drawer section 573 may be structured to engage with housing 570 when in the maximum pulled-out position. By engaging a portion of drawer section 573 with housing 570, it is possible to prevent drawer section 573 from falling off housing 570 due to excessive pulling. Drawer section 573 may also be detachably attached to housing 570, and may be configured so that the entire drawer section can be pulled out from housing 570 depending on how the user uses it. This allows drawer 573, with small items housed in second storage section 572, to be carried onto a countertop, table, or the like.

[0091] At least one side of a pair of step portions 573e and wall portions 573c that intersect in the drawing direction of the drawing portion 573 abuts against step portion 57e or wall portion 57c on the housing 570 side, thereby restricting insertion further inside and allowing the drawing portion 573 to be accommodated within housing 570.

[0092] The case body 57 and the drawer portion 573 are made of, for example, a synthetic resin. The case body 57 and the drawer portion 573 may be made of a transparent material, or a translucent or opaque material. Forming the case body 57 and the drawer portion 573 from a transparent or translucent material is preferable because the interior of the case body 57 and the drawer portion 573 can be seen from the outside. The case body 57 and the drawer portion 573 may be partially made of a transparent material and partially made of a translucent or opaque material. The portion of the case body 57 made of a translucent or opaque material may be a portion that covers the lift platform 67, which will be described later, from the outside. In this case, the lift platform 67 is less visible from the outside, improving the aesthetic appearance of the upper-door storage case 56A. Case body 57 and drawer section 573 may have an opaque or semi-transparent colored layer, pattern, or the like formed on the surface of a molded product made of a transparent material. In this case, the area where the opaque or semi-transparent colored layer or pattern is formed becomes difficult to see from the outside, improving the aesthetic appearance of upper-door storage case 56A.

[0093] (lifting platform) As shown in FIG. 4, the lifting platform 67 includes all of the components of the upper door storage case 56A except for the case body 57. For example, the lifting platform 67 includes a lifting platform main body 58, an operating member 59, a lower cover 60, and a first locking portion 70. The shape of the lifting platform 67 in a top view from the +Z direction is asymmetric in the width direction.

[0094] The lifting platform main body 58 has a bottom surface portion 58a, a first wall portion 58c and a pair of side wall portions 58d extending in the +Z direction from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface portion 58a, a front end plate portion 58b, a pair of side plate portions 58f extending in the -Z direction from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface portion 58a, and a notched plate portion 58x.

[0095] The bottom surface portion 58a constitutes a part of the bottom plate portion of the lifting platform 67, and is a flat plate having a size and shape that allows the second bottom surface portion 57ab of the case main body 57 to be placed on the upper surface. An edge in the +Y direction of bottom surface portion 58a has the same shape as a similar edge in second bottom surface portion 57ab of case main body 57. The peripheral edges in the +X direction and -X direction of bottom surface portion 58a, which are the edges of the wide portion on the +Y direction side (hereinafter referred to as the wide portion edge), have the same shape as the similar edge in second bottom surface portion 57ab. The peripheral edges of bottom surface portion 58a in the +X and -X directions, and the edge of the narrow portion on the -Y direction side (hereinafter referred to as the narrow portion edge), have a shape that expands slightly outward compared to similar edges on second bottom surface portion 57ab of case main body 57. The edge of bottom surface portion 58a in the -Y direction has a shape that expands slightly outward compared to similar edges on second bottom surface portion 57ab. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the outer shape of the bottom surface portion 58a in a top view seen from the +Z direction is asymmetric in the width direction.

[0096] The first wall portion 58c is provided on the outer edge of the bottom surface portion 58a in the −Y direction, and constitutes a side plate portion of the lift table 67. The pair of side walls 58d are provided on the outer edges of both sides of the bottom surface 58a in the width direction. Front end plate 58b extends in the -Z direction from the edge of bottom surface 58a in the +Y direction. The length of front end plate 58b is such that, when case body 57 is attached, front end plate 58b is hidden inside second wall 57bb that protrudes in the -Z direction from second bottom surface 57ab of case body 57.

[0097] The side plates 58f extend in the −Z direction from the edges of the wide portions of the bottom surface 58a. The length of the side plates 58f is such that they are hidden inside the side walls 57d of the case body 57 when the case body 57 is attached.

[0098] The notched plate portion 58x extends in the -Z direction from the peripheral edge of the bottom surface portion 58a, between the front end plate portion 58b and the side plate portion 58f. The notched plate portion 58x slopes toward the +X direction as it extends in the +Y direction, diagonally connecting the side plate portion 58f and the front end plate portion 58b. The length of the notched plate portion 58x is such that it is hidden inside the side wall portion 57d of the case body 57 when the case body 57 is attached.

[0099] As described above, in this embodiment, no side plate portion extending in the +Z direction is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface portion 58a in the outer edge portion that is aligned with the drawer portion 573, first wall portion 57ba, first cutout wall portion 57xa, and first side wall portion 57fa of the above-described case main body 57. In other words, when the case main body 57 is attached to the lifting platform main body 58, no side plate portion is formed that overlaps with the drawer portion 573, first wall portion 57ba, first cutout wall portion 57xa, and the pair of first side wall portions 57fa when viewed from the horizontal direction.

[0100] The side wall portions 58d are peripheral edges of the bottom surface portion 58a in the +X and −X directions, and extend in the +Z and −Z directions from edges that are closer to the −Y direction than the respective wide edges. The height of each side wall portion 58d from the bottom surface portion 58a in the +Z direction is equal to the height from the lower surface of the second bottom surface portion 57ab of the case main body 57 to the lower surface of the flange portion 57g. The height of each side wall portion 58d in the −Z direction is equal to the height of each side plate portion 58f. An upper end of each side wall portion 58d is formed with a recessed groove (first locking portion: movement restricting portion) 58j that opens upward. Each locking protrusion 57h of the case main body 57 can enter the recessed groove 58j from above, and the locking protrusion 57h fits into the recessed groove 58j in the front-rear direction.

[0101] 4, side wall portions 58d on both sides are provided with locking projections 58A, guide portions 58B, and gap restriction stoppers 58cA. An example of locking projections 58A and guide portions 58B provided on side wall portion 58d in the -X direction will be described below.

[0102] The locking projection 58A protrudes outward in the X direction from the side wall portion 58d. The locking projection 58A has a width in the depth direction that allows it to be inserted into the gap between the inner surface 53a of the inner surface member 53 and each rail portion 64. The locking projection 58A has a plate-shaped portion 58Aa that extends in the up-down direction, and a plurality of ridges 58Ab that protrude in the +Y direction from the +Y direction surface of the plate-shaped portion 58Aa and extend in the width direction. The plurality of ridges 58Ab are provided for the purpose of reducing the contact area with the rail portion 64. In each of the plurality of ridges 58Ab, the cross section perpendicular to the width direction is, for example, semicircular and convex in the +Y direction.

[0103] The guide portion 58B protrudes outward in the X direction from the side wall portion 58d. A gap is formed between the guide portion 58B and the locking projection 58A so that the rail portion 64 can be inserted in the vertical direction. The guide portion 58B has a plate-shaped portion 58Ba extending in the up-down direction, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 58Bb that reinforce the plate-shaped portion 58Ba from the +Y direction side.

[0104] The gap regulation stopper 58cA is a stopper that regulates the gap between itself and the middle door storage case 56B located below.

[0105] The first wall portion 58c extends in the +Z direction from the edge of the bottom surface portion 58a in the -Y direction. The height of the side wall portion 58d in the +Z direction is the same as that of each side wall portion 58d, and is equal to the height from the lower surface of the second bottom surface portion 57ab of the case main body 57 to the lower surface of the flange portion 57j.

[0106] In the platform main body 58, no side plate portion that overlaps with the case main body 57 is formed above the edge of the wide portion of the bottom surface portion 58a. Therefore, when at least the first wall portion 57ba, the pair of first side wall portions 57fa, and the first cutout wall portion 57xa of the case main body 57 are formed from a transparent or translucent material, the contents stored inside the case main body 57 can be seen from the horizontal direction through the first wall portion 57ba, the pair of first side wall portions 57fa, and the first cutout wall portion 57xa.

[0107] According to this configuration, when the case body 57 is placed on the lifting platform main body 58, the case body 57 is inserted inside the lifting platform 67. When the case body 57 is attached, the first wall 58c, the side walls 58d, and the steps 58e of the lifting platform 67 face the wall 57c, the pairs of side walls 57d, and the steps 57e on the case body 57 side from the outside, and cover them.

[0108] Furthermore, when the case body 57 is placed on the platform body 58, the locking projections 57h on the case body 57 fit into the corresponding grooves 58j on the platform body 58. The locking projections 57h on the case body 57 fit into the corresponding grooves 58j, thereby positioning the case body 57 relative to the platform body 58 in the Y direction. The case body 57 is placed on the bottom surface 58a, the side walls 58d, and the first wall 58c of the platform body 58. The case body 57 is positioned in the width direction by being sandwiched between the side walls 58d.

[0109] The −Y side of each step 58e in the lifting platform main body 58 is inserted between the side ribs 61C, 61D shown in Fig. 3. Therefore, in the upper door storage case 56A, the +Y side of each step 58e protrudes in the +Y direction beyond the side ribs 61C, 61D.

[0110] (Internal structure of the base of the lifting platform) Next, the internal structure of the bottom plate of the lifting platform 67 will be described together with the configuration of the lower surface side of the lifting platform main body 58. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lock release mechanism 80, as seen from the -Z direction. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the lock release mechanism 80, as seen from the +Z direction. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the bottom side of the lift platform main body 58. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bottom plate of the lift table 67 is provided with an unlocking mechanism 80. The lock release mechanism 80 moves the first locking portion 70 to an unlocked position where it cannot be locked by the locking plate 64e of the rail portion 64, thereby enabling the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B to move in the vertical direction. The lock release mechanism 80 is located between the platform main body 58 (FIG. 4) and the lower cover 60 (FIG. 7), and includes an operating member 59 and a biasing member 77.

[0111] First, the structure of the lower surface side of the bottom surface portion 58a of the lifting platform main body 58 will be described. First guide portion 58n, locking portion 58p, second guide portion 58t, vibration-absorbing material holder 58m, and fixing bosses 58q and 58s protrude in the -Z direction from the lower surface of bottom portion 58a. The amount of protrusion of first guide portion 58n, locking portion 58p, second guide portion 58t, vibration-absorbing material holder 58m, and fixing bosses 58q and 58s is smaller than the amount of protrusion in the -Z direction on the outer circumferential edge side of bottom portion 58a.

[0112] The first guide portion 58n is a wall-like body that guides the movement in the depth direction of the operating member 59, which will be described later. The shape of the first guide portion 58n is not particularly limited as long as it can guide the operating member 59 in the depth direction. The first guide portion 58n has four guide grooves 58k extending in the depth direction. Each guide groove 58k opens in the -Z direction. The number of guide grooves 58k is not limited to four and may be one or more. The first guide portions 58n are positioned at intervals in the width direction.

[0113] The locking portion 58p is a protrusion that locks with the end (second end 77b) of the biasing member 77 in the +Y direction shown in Figure 7. The locking portion 58p has a recess into which the second end 77b of the biasing member 77 can be inserted from the +Y direction. The shape of the locking portion 58p is not particularly limited as long as it can lock the second end 77b of the biasing member 77. 8, the locking portions 58p are respectively disposed between the guide grooves 58k1 and 58k2 adjacent to each other in the width direction. The position of each locking portion 58p in the depth direction is substantially the same as the end of each guide groove 58k in the +Y direction.

[0114] The second guide portion 58t is a frame-shaped protrusion that guides the movement of the first locking portion 70 in the width direction. In the example shown in Fig. 8, the second guide portion 58t has two walls 58t1 that sandwich the first locking portion 70 in the depth direction. Each wall 58t1 is connected to the inner surface of the side wall portion 58d of the lifting platform main body 58. The side wall 58d has a guide hole 58u in which the locking member 73 of the first locking portion 70 is disposed, in a portion between the wall bodies 58t1 of the second guide portion 58t. The locking member 73 of the first locking portion 70 protrudes outward from the guide hole 58u (FIGS. 6 and 8) and is movable forward and backward in the width direction. The second guide portion 58t and the guide hole portion 58u are located on both sides of the bottom surface portion 58a in the width direction.

[0115] The vibration-absorbing material holder 58m holds the vibration-absorbing material 78 shown in Figure 7. The shape of the vibration-absorbing material holder 58m is not particularly limited as long as it can hold the vibration-absorbing material 78. In the example shown in Figure 8, the vibration-absorbing material holder 58m has flat protrusions parallel to the width direction. A holding groove 58v recessed in the +Z direction is formed at the end of the vibration-absorbing material holder 58m in the protruding direction (-Z direction). The holding groove 58v is a groove for inserting and attaching the vibration-absorbing material 78. The arrangement position and number of the vibration-absorbing material holders 58m are not particularly limited. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the vibration-absorbing material holder 58m is located at the center in the width direction of the bottom surface portion 58a. The position in the depth direction of the vibration-absorbing material holder 58m is approximately the same as the end of each guide groove 58k in the +Y direction.

[0116] The vibration absorbing material 78 is provided to reduce the impact noise caused by the impact that acts from the operating member 59 on the lifting platform main body 58 when the operating member 59 moves. For example, the vibration absorbing material 78 is made of an elastomer having shock absorbing properties. 7, the vibration absorbing material 78 has a head portion 78a that is deformable by the impact force from the operating member 59, and an attachment portion 78b that is inserted into the holding groove 58v of the vibration absorbing material holder 58m. The attachment portion 78b holds the vibration absorbing material holder 58m between itself and the head portion 78a.

[0117] Fixing bosses 58q, 58s are provided for fixing lower cover 60 to lifting platform main body 58 with screws. Fixing bosses 58q, 58s are cylindrical protrusions with a height that allows the lower surface of lower cover 60 to be fixed in position with the lower end of front end plate portion 58b of lifting platform main body 58 (FIG. 8). Fixing holes are formed in the centers of fixing bosses 58q, 58s, into which screws 76 (FIG. 7) can be threaded. The fixing boss 58q is provided at a position facing the vibration absorbing material holder 58m on the −Y direction side of the vibration absorbing material holder 58m. The fixing bosses 58s are provided on the −Y direction side of each second guide portion 58t at positions facing the corresponding second guide portion 58t.

[0118] (Operating member) The operating member 59 is sandwiched between the lifting platform main body 58 and a lower cover 60 (described later) so as to be movable in the depth direction (Y direction). The operating member 59 has an operating portion 59a, a biasing member holder 59b, a guide rib 59c, and a pressing member 59d. The operating unit 59a has a frame shape extending in the width direction and is disposed so as to face the front end plate 58b of the lifting platform main body 58. The underside of the operating unit 59a is formed with a groove 59h (FIG. 6) into which the user's hand is inserted from below.

[0119] The biasing member holder 59b is a frame that holds the biasing member 77 that biases the operating member 59 in the -Y direction. The biasing member holder 59b has a rectangular frame shape that has a length in the movement direction (Y direction) of the operating unit 59a, and has a locking portion 59i that locks the biasing member 77 and a guide shaft 59j that extends from the locking portion 59i toward the operating unit 59a.

[0120] The biasing member 77 held by the biasing member holder 59b is, for example, a compression coil spring. The biasing member 77 is fitted onto the guide shaft 59j, with one end thereof engaging with the locking portion 59i and the other end thereof engaging with the locking portion 58p on the lift-up platform main body 58. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the biasing member 77 is disposed between the operating member 59 and the lift-up platform main body 58, and biases the operating member 59 in the -Y direction relative to the lift-up platform main body 58.

[0121] The pair of guide ribs 59c are protrusions that extend along the movement direction (Y direction) of the operating portion 59a. The guide ribs 59c are spaced apart from each other in the width direction (X direction) and are located outside the respective biasing member holders 59b in the X direction. The pair of guide ribs 59k are parallel to the guide rib 59c and are protrusions that extend along the movement direction (Y direction) of the operating part 59a. The guide ribs 59k are spaced apart at a smaller interval than the guide ribs 59c, and are positioned inside the biasing member holders 59b in the X direction. These guide ribs 59c and 59k are inserted into guide grooves 58k formed on the rear surface of the lifting platform main body 58, and are movable in the depth direction along the respective guide grooves 58k. A plurality of such guide ribs 59c, 59k are provided in the width direction and are connected to each other via a plurality of plate portions 59m located between them.

[0122] 6, the position at which the operating member 59 is moved to the furthest position in the -Y direction by the biasing force of the biasing member 77 will be referred to as the locking position. Although not shown, the position at which the operating part 59a is moved to the furthest position in the +Y direction by the user's operation will be referred to as the unlocking position.

[0123] The movement distance in the depth direction from the locking position to the unlocking position (hereinafter referred to as the movement distance) is shorter than the length of the guide ribs 59k inserted into each guide groove 58k at the locking position (hereinafter referred to as the insertion length). As a result, even when the operating member 59 moves to the unlocking position, each guide rib 59k is not entirely pulled out of each guide groove 58k.

[0124] 7, a pressing member 59d is provided at the -X direction end of guide rib 59c, closest to the -X direction. Similarly, a pressing member 59d is provided at the +X direction end of guide rib 59c. Each pressing member 59d is connected to guide rib 59c, 59k. The pressing member 59d moves a first locking portion 70 (described later) in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the operating member 59 in accordance with the amount of movement of the operating member 59 in the depth direction. The pressing member 59d has a flat plate portion 59g parallel to the guide rib 59k, and a protrusion 59e protruding outward from the flat plate portion 59g.

[0125] When viewed from the +Z direction, protrusion 59e has a mountain shape with apex 59f in the protruding direction. Apex 59f may be a flat surface parallel to flat plate portion 59g, or may be a curved surface that has a convex arc shape when viewed from the +Z direction. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the outer shape of protrusion 59e when viewed from the +Z direction is an isosceles triangle, and apex 59f has a curved surface that has a convex arc shape. The width of the protrusion 59e in the depth direction is approximately twice the moving distance of the operating member 59. The protrusion 59e is located within the second guide portion 58t of the lifting platform main body 58 shown in FIG.

[0126] In the present embodiment, the operating member 59 has an operating portion 59a, a biasing member holder 59b, a guide rib 59c, and a pressing member 59d that are integrally formed with one another, which prevents the operating member 59 from meandering or rotating in the horizontal plane, allowing the operating member 59 to move linearly in the depth direction.

[0127] (lower cover) 6 and 7, the lower cover 60 is box-shaped and covers the underside of the lifting platform main body 58 when the operating member 59, the biasing members 77, the vibration-absorbing material 78, and the first locking portions 70 are attached to the lifting platform main body 58. The lower cover 60, together with the lifting platform main body 58, forms the outer shape of the bottom plate portion of the lifting platform 67. The lower cover 60 has an asymmetrical shape in the width direction. The external shape of the bottom plate portion 60a as viewed from the Y direction is substantially the same as the bottom surface portion 58a of the platform main body 58, except that the end portion in the +Y direction has a notch 60h into which the operating portion 59a can be inserted.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 7, the lower cover 60 has a bottom plate portion 60a, first side plate portions 60e and 60f extending in the +Z direction from the outer edge of the bottom plate portion 60a, a cutout wall portion 60x, a pair of second side plate portions 60b and 60c, and a step portion 60g.

[0129] The bottom plate portion 60a is provided with screw bosses 60d, 60f having through holes through which screws 76 are inserted for fixing to the lifting platform main body 58. As shown in Fig. 6, the back sides of the screw bosses 60d, 60f are recessed in the +Z direction so that the heads of the screws 76 do not protrude. The bottom plate portion 60a forms the bottom surface of the lifting platform 67 except for the notch 60h.

[0130] The first side plates 60e, 60f and the notched wall 60x are provided along the periphery of the wide portion of the bottom plate 60a in the +Y direction, and the second side plates 60b, 60c are provided along the periphery of the narrow portion of the bottom plate 60a in the -Y direction.

[0131] The first side plate portion 60e is provided from the edge on the +X side in the lateral width direction of the wide portion to a part of the edge on the +Y side. The first side plate 60f and the notched wall 60x are provided on the edge of the wide portion on the −X side in the lateral width direction. In top view, the notched wall 60x is inclined toward the +X direction from the first side plate 60f toward the +Y direction, and is provided obliquely from the first side plate 60f to the notch 60h.

[0132] The second side plate portions 60b and 60c are provided on both edge portions in the width direction of the narrow portion on the −Y direction side of the bottom plate portion 60a. The step portions 60g are flat and perpendicular to the depth direction. The step portions 60g are arranged on both sides of the bottom plate portion 60a in the width direction. The step portion 60g located on the -X direction side connects the second side plate portion 60b and the first side plate portion 60e, and the step portion 60g located on the +X direction side connects the second side plate portion 60b and the first side plate portion 60f.

[0133] When the lower cover 60 is attached to the platform main body 58, the first side plate portions 60e, 60f, the cutout wall portion 60x, the second side plate portions 60b, 60c, and the step portion 60g (hereinafter referred to as the side peripheral wall) that constitute the peripheral wall of the lower cover 60 are inserted inside the lower end peripheral wall of the platform main body 58.

[0134] The lower cover 60 is fitted from below into the lower part of the lifting platform main body 58 and then secured with screws. Specifically, the lower cover 60 is secured to the lifting platform main body 58 by threading a plurality of screws 76 inserted into the screwing bosses 60d, 60e, and 60f into the fixing bosses 58q and 58s. The bottom plate portion 60a of the lower cover 60 is disposed parallel to the bottom surface portion 58a with a certain gap therebetween. This restricts the vertical position of each component sandwiched between the bottom plate portion 60a and the bottom surface portion 58a. This makes it possible to suppress vertical displacement of the components sandwiched between the bottom plate portion 60a and the bottom surface portion 58a. For example, the bottom plate portion 60a can suppress vertical vibration of the biasing member holder 59b, the biasing member 77 in the biasing member holder 59b, and the guide rib 59c. As a result, the operation member 59 can move smoothly in the depth direction.

[0135] (First locking portion) Next, the first locking portion 70 will be described. As described above, the first locking portions 70 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the lifting platform 67. In the following, an example of the first locking portion 70 arranged on the +X direction side will be described.

[0136] As shown in FIG. 7, the first locking portion 70 includes a first holder 71, a locking member 73, a biasing member (not shown), and a second holder 75.

[0137] The first holder 71 is a rectangular box that opens in the +X direction. The locking member 73 is inserted into the first holder 71 . The biasing member is disposed between the locking member 73 inserted into the first holder 71 in the first locking portion 70 and the second holder 75 described later, and biases the locking member 73 in the +X direction. A compression coil spring can be used as the biasing member.

[0138] The second holder 75 is fixed to the end of the first holder 71 in the +X direction, and constitutes the end of the first locking portion 70 in the +X direction. The second holder 75 has a protrusion 75a and a connecting portion 75f. When viewed from the +Z direction, the protrusion 75a has an outer shape like a mountain with an apex 75b in the protruding direction. The apex 75b may be a flat surface or a curved surface that has a convex arc shape when viewed from the +Z direction. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the mountain shape of the protrusion 75a is an isosceles triangle, and the apex 75b is a curved surface in the shape of a convex arc. The inclination of protrusion 75a is not particularly limited as long as it is equal to or greater than the inclination of protrusion 59e. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the inclination of protrusion 75a is approximately equal to the inclination of protrusion 59e described above. The connecting portions 75f are each in the form of a piece that protrudes in the +X direction from both ends of the protruding portion 75a in the depth direction.

[0139] 6 and 7, in the assembled state, first locking portion 70 accommodates a biasing member and locking member 73 in an internal space formed by connecting first holder 71 and second holder 75, and a portion of locking member 73 protrudes in the +X direction from within first holder 71. The position at which the amount of protrusion of locking member 73 in the +X direction is at its maximum is referred to as the locking position of first locking portion 70.

[0140] The locking member 73 of the first locking portion 70 in the locking position extends outside the side wall portion 58d through the guide hole portion 58u of the lifting platform main body 58 (FIG. 6).

[0141] In this embodiment, the urging member 77 and the locking member 73 are arranged in series on a substantially coaxial line, and the locking member 73 protruding from the first holder 71 is inserted into the urging member 77. Therefore, the urging member 77, the locking member 73, the first holder 71, and the urging member 77 are arranged on a substantially coaxial line.

[0142] Here, the operation of the first locking portion 70 and the operating member 59 will be described. As described above, when first locking portion 70 is in the locking position, first holder 71 and second holder 75 are fixed in position in the width direction. In contrast, locking member 73 is biased by a biasing member inside first holder 71 and second holder 75, but is movable in the +X direction. Therefore, when the tip of locking member 73 in the +X direction is pressed in the -X direction with a force greater than the biasing force of the biasing member, locking member 73 moves in the -X direction, and its tip can be retracted into guide hole portion 58u.

[0143] When the operating member 59 is pulled in the +Y direction by the user to move to the unlocked position, each pressing member 59d shown in FIG. When each pressing member 59d moves in the +Y direction, the first locking portions 70 that are biased toward the pressing members 59d by the biasing members 77 move toward the pressing members 59d. When the pressing member 59d retreats from the opening of the second guide portion 58t shown in FIG. 8, each of the first locking portions 70 simultaneously moves toward the flat plate portion 59g, and the tops 75b come into contact with the flat plate portion 59g. As a result, in this embodiment, the locking members 73 protruding from the first holder 71 also move parallel to the -X direction and retreat into the guide holes 58u. That is, the locking members 73 retreat into the guide holes 58u while being biased outward in the width direction by the biasing member. In this way, when the operating member 59 moves to the unlocked position, the first locking portion 70 moves, and a state is achieved in which the tip end of each locking member 73 does not protrude from the guide hole portion 58u. In this state, the locking member 73 of each first locking portion 70 cannot be locked to the locking plate 64e of the rail portion 64 (unlockable position).

[0144] When the user releases the operating portion 59a, the operating member 59 moves in the -Y direction due to the biasing force of the biasing member 77, and the operating member 59 and each first locking portion 70 return to their respective locking positions. At this time, the operating member 59, which moves due to the biasing force of the biasing member 77, hits the vibration absorbing material 78 without colliding with any member of the lifting platform main body 58, for example. The kinetic energy of the operating member 59 is absorbed by the vibration absorbing material 78, and the operating member 59 stops at the locking position. This reduces the impact noise caused by the impact of the operating member 59.

[0145] A certain amount of impact force is transmitted to the platform main body 58 through the vibration-absorbing material 78. In this embodiment, external forces are applied to the platform main body 58 by the extension and contraction of the biasing member 77 and the impact of the operating member 59. The fixing bosses 58s, 58q are provided in positions facing the respective locking portions 58p and retaining grooves 58v, on which the external force acts, in the direction of the external force. Therefore, by screwing the lower cover 60 to the fixing bosses 58s, 58q, a reinforced structure that efficiently resists external forces is obtained. As a result, even if a certain amount of external force, such as an impact force, is transmitted to the platform main body 58, vibrations are suppressed, resulting in a stable operating feel.

[0146] In this embodiment, the locking member 73 protrudes outward from the guide hole portion 58u at the locking position, and is retracted into the guide hole portion 58u due to an external force acting on the locking member 73. Similarly, when the operating member 59 moves to the unlocked position, the entire first locking portion 70 moves in parallel to the unlocked position.

[0147] Next, the locking structure for attaching upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B to refrigerator compartment door 12 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B are each attached by engaging from above with a predetermined position of the multiple locking plates 64e provided in the vertical direction of a pair of rail sections 64 shown in Figure 3. 6, when the operating members 59 arranged on the bottom sides of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B are in the locking position, the main body 73a of the locking member 73 protrudes outward in the Y direction through the guide hole 58u of the side wall 58d. The main body 73a is locked from above by the locking plate 64e in a predetermined position.

[0148] The locking protrusions 58A and guide portions 58B of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B sandwich the rail portion 64. Due to the gravity of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B, the lower surface of the tip side of the locking member 73 is pressed against the locking surface 64i of the locking plate 64e.

[0149] The gap regulation stoppers 58cA in the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B are pressed against the inner surface 53a of the inner surface member 53 in the refrigerator compartment door 12 by the gravity of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B.

[0150] Since the center of gravity of upper door storage case 56A is closer to refrigerating compartment 27 (+Y direction) than rail portion 64, the upper end of locking projection 58A presses second rail portion 64b toward refrigerating compartment 27. When installed, upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B cannot be pulled out toward refrigerator compartment 27, and are restricted from descending in the -Z direction.

[0151] In this manner, in this embodiment, the user can move upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B in the up and down directions along rail portion 64 by operating operating member 59. At that time, the user can move upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B with a simple operation using one hand in front of upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B.

[0152] In the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment described above, the lower door storage case 56C can accommodate relatively tall items such as milk cartons and 1L-sized PET bottles. The upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B can accommodate medium-height items. For example, they can accommodate multiple tabletop-sized items such as dressing containers, salt and pepper containers, and soy sauce containers. Furthermore, because the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B can be moved vertically, they can be moved to any position to accommodate relatively tall containers such as containers containing liquid condiments such as soy sauce or noodle soup, or milk cartons, on either door storage case 56 side.

[0153] In this embodiment, upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B each have a drawer, and each has multiple storage compartments. By providing drawer 573, various tall containers as described above can be stored in first storage compartment 571 of housing 570, and small items other than tall containers can be stored in second storage compartment 572 of drawer 573. Small items include seasonings, condiments, medicines, etc. in small bags, and can be stored as long as they are shorter in height than the depth of drawer 573. In this way, small items that tend to get scattered inside refrigerator 1 can be stored together in a designated location, allowing the items to be quickly removed when needed. In this way, by increasing the number of storage sections in the case body 57, it becomes possible to store various items of different sizes in each storage section, making it easier to use.

[0154] Furthermore, since the drawer section 573 of this embodiment has a handle section 573n, the user can easily pull out the drawer section 573 and take out items stored at the back of the drawer section 573. Furthermore, since drawer section 573 is located directly below first storage section 571, by forming drawer section 573 from a transparent material, it is possible to check the small items stored in second storage section 572 from the side. This makes it possible to prevent forgetting to use or buying the same items twice, for example, if the stored items are seasonings.

[0155] In addition, in this embodiment, both the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B are designed with a drawer, but this is not limited to this, and only one of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B may be designed with a drawer.

[0156] In this embodiment, one drawer section 573 is provided in the case main body 57, but the number of drawers 573 may be multiple. In this case, the multiple drawers 573 may be arranged in the width direction or in the vertical direction to form a multi-tiered structure. Furthermore, multiple drawers 573 with different depths or sizes may be provided.

[0157] Furthermore, in this embodiment, upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B are configured so that case body 57 is detachable from lift-up platform 67, and case body 57 can be removed from lift-up platform 67. Therefore, if case body 57 is broken, it can be easily replaced with a new one, and case bodies 57 can be interchanged between upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B. The shapes of drawer portions 573 may be different between upper-door storage case 56A and middle-door storage case 56B.

[0158] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which door storage case 56 of left refrigerator compartment door 12 has a structure with a drawer, but any or all of the three door storage cases 54 installed on the right refrigerator compartment door 13 side may also have a structure with a drawer. In this embodiment, case body 57 has an asymmetrical shape, so that it is possible to prevent the case body 57 from being attached incorrectly to the left refrigerator compartment door 12 side and the right refrigerator compartment door 13 side.

[0159] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, it is presented by way of example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0160] For example, the case body 57 in the above-described embodiment can be modified to various specifications. The structure of the case body will be described below using several embodiments as examples, but is not limited to these.

[0161] [Second embodiment] In the following description, the structure of the case body 57B of the second embodiment will be described. 9 is a perspective view showing the structure of a case main body 57B of the second embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those already described will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0162] 9, case body 57B of the second embodiment has housing 570B and lid portion 575 attached to housing 570B. In this embodiment, the storage structure uses lid portion 575 instead of the above-described drawer portion.

[0163] Housing 570B has first storage section 571 that opens upward, and second storage section 572 that is located below first storage section 571 and opens to the side of the case. In first storage section 571, items are stored from an upper opening 571a. In second storage section 572, items are stored from a side opening 572a. The second storage portion 572 in this embodiment is formed in the gap portion 574 in the first embodiment. An opening 572a of the second storage portion 572 is closed by a lid portion 575.

[0164] Lid portion 575 has one end 575a on the −X direction side connected to rotation shaft portion 576 which is on the −X side of housing 570B and extends in the Z direction between first bottom surface portion 57aa and second bottom surface portion 57ab, and rotates around the rotation axis of rotation shaft portion 576. Lid portion 575 is configured to be able to maintain a closed state by engaging engagement between engaging portion 577 formed on the other end 575c side with housing 570B.

[0165] When viewed from above, wall 575b, notched wall 575x, and side wall 575f of lid 575 in the closed state overlap with the side peripheral wall on the housing 570B side. That is, first side wall 57fa and second wall 57bb, first notched wall 57xa and second notched wall 57xb, first side wall 57fa and second side wall 57fb, which are positioned above and below lid 575 on the housing 570B side, and wall 575b on the lid 575 side, notched wall 575x, and side wall 575f are shaped to coincide with each other. This prevents lid 575 from protruding outward from the outer surface of housing 570B, maintaining an aesthetic appearance.

[0166] [Third embodiment] In the following description, the structure of the case main body 57C of the third embodiment will be described. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a case main body 57C of the third embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those already described will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0167] As shown in FIG. 10, a case main body 57C of the third embodiment includes a housing 570C having a partition portion 580 that forms a plurality of storage portions 571, 572. The housing 570C is a box-shaped container that opens upward and is made up of a bottom surface 57a, a wall portion 57c, a pair of side wall portions 57d, a pair of step portions 57e, a pair of side wall portions 57f (57f1, 57f2), a notched wall portion 57x, and a wall portion 57b, each of which extends from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 57a in the +Z direction.

[0168] Housing 570C has a plurality of storage sections 571, 572 that open upward, and is integrally formed with partition section 580 that forms each of these storage sections 571, 572. In housing 570C, a small area surrounded by partition section 580 is used as second storage section 572, and the remaining large area is used as first storage section 571.

[0169] First storage section 571, which has a large capacity, can store tall and thick containers, while second storage section 572, which has a small capacity, can be used as a storage holder for small items, and can store, for example, thin tubes containing seasonings (hereinafter referred to as seasoning tubes) and other small seasoning containers.

[0170] Housing 570C has cutout 579 formed by cutting out a part of the upper end of wall 57b located on the −Y direction side of bottom surface 57a and a part of the upper end of side wall 57f2 located on one side in the width direction (the −X direction side). Upper end 579a of cutout 579 is located one step lower in the −Z direction than upper end 570a of other parts of housing 570C.

[0171] The partition section 580 is configured to have a first partition wall section 581 parallel to the depth direction, a second partition wall section 582 inclined from the -Y direction end of the first partition wall section 581 toward the step section 57e, and a third partition wall section 583 parallel to the width direction, and is configured to further divide the second storage section 572 into multiple sections.

[0172] An upper end 580a of the partition 580 coincides with an upper end 579a of the above-described cutout 579 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the first partition wall 581 is located closer to the -X direction than the end of the cutout 579 on the +X direction side in the horizontal width direction. That is, by making the opening width of the cutout 579 wider than the storage width of the second storage section 572, the user can easily check the contents stored in the second storage section 572 from the outside when viewing the case main body 57 from the +Y direction side. Furthermore, the third partition wall 583 coincides with the end of the cutout 579 on the -Y direction side in the depth direction.

[0173] The second storage section 572 formed by the partition 580 has a first small item storage section 572b and a second small item storage section 572c having a larger storage capacity than the first small item storage section 572b, which are lined up in the depth direction.

[0174] In this embodiment, first small item storage section 572b, which has a small storage capacity, is located on the +Y direction side of housing 570C where cutout 579 is formed. First small item storage section 572b has a size that can store, for example, only one of the above-mentioned seasoning tubes, and can stably store the seasoning tube in an upright position. The second small item storage section 572c is large enough to store a plurality of seasoning tubes together, and can store the seasoning tubes lined up in the depth direction. In this embodiment, the second small item storage section 572c can store a maximum of two seasoning tubes.

[0175] Because second small item storage section 572c does not face cutout section 579, the contents stored in second small item storage section 572c are supported by a tall portion of side wall section 57f2 on the −X direction side other than cutout section 579. For this reason, for example, if only one seasoning tube is stored in second small item storage section 572c, it is conceivable that the tube may move within second small item storage section 572c when refrigerator compartment door 12 is opened or closed. However, by intentionally not providing cutout section 579 on the side of second small item storage section 572c in housing 570C, tall side wall section 57f2 can prevent the contents, such as the seasoning tube, from falling.

[0176] The shape, position, number, etc. of the partitioning portion 580 described in this embodiment are not limited to the form shown in the drawings, and can be changed as appropriate. A partition may be provided in the other embodiments described above. In this case, for example, a partition may be provided in the housing to divide the first storage section into multiple sections. Also, a partition may be provided in the drawer to divide the second storage section into multiple sections.

[0177] [Fourth embodiment] In the following description, the structure of the case body 57D of the fourth embodiment will be mainly described, and the configuration of the lift table 670D will also be described. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the structure of a case main body 57D of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the structures of a case main body 57D and a lift table 670D of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 13 is a perspective view mainly showing the structure of a movement restricting portion in the fourth embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those already described will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0178] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a case main body 57D of the fourth embodiment includes a housing 570D and a grip portion 590 attached to the housing 570D. The housing 570D is a box-shaped container that is open upward and is composed of a bottom surface 57a, a wall portion 57c, a pair of side wall portions 57d, a pair of step portions 57e, a pair of side wall portions 57f, a notched wall portion 57x, and a wall portion 57b, each of which extends from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 57a in the +Z direction.

[0179] Housing 570D has a pair of side walls 57f located on the edge of the wide portion on the +Y direction side, cutout wall portions 57x, and cutout portions 570c on the upper end sides of walls 57b for arranging grip portion 590. Cutout portions 570c are formed away from the pair of step portions 57e in the +Y direction, and locking holes 570d for attaching grip portion 590 are formed on the upper end sides of each side wall portion 57f located between cutout portions 570c and the pair of step portions 57e.

[0180] The housing 570D has a leg 570e extending in the -Z direction from the lower end of the wall 57c located on the -Y direction side. The leg 570e is flat and located at the center of the wall 57c in the width direction. In the vertical direction, the lower end 570f of the leg 570e coincides with the pair of side walls 57f, the cutout wall 57x, and the lower end 570g of the wall 57b. The wide portion of the housing 570D extends further in the -Z direction than the bottom surface 57a so as to cover the front end plate 58b on the +Y direction side of the lifting platform 67 shown in FIG. 12. Therefore, by providing the leg 570e extending in the -Z direction also on the narrow portion of the housing 570D, when the case main body 57D is placed on a placement surface, the bottom surface 57a and the placement surface are maintained in a horizontal position parallel to each other.

[0181] The shape, position, and number of the legs 570e are not limited to those of the present embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the legs 570e may be provided on both sides of the wall 57c in the width direction. Alternatively, the legs 570e may be provided on the lower ends of the pair of side walls 57d, rather than on the wall 57c. The legs 570e may also be provided at corners formed by the wall 57c and the pair of side walls 57d.

[0182] When the case body 57D is attached to the platform body 58, the case body 57D is held with its legs 570e inserted from above into through holes 580i formed on the -Y direction side of the bottom surface 58a of the platform body 58.

[0183] The grip portion 590 has a curved shape that conforms to the shape of the +Y direction side of the housing 570D when viewed from above. When the grip portion 590 is stored in the cutout portion 570c formed on the wide portion side of the housing 570D, the grip portion 590 extends along the upper end 570b. The upper end of the grip portion 590 in the stored state substantially coincides with the upper end of the housing 570D. The ends 590a and 590b on both sides of the grip portion 590 are positioned in the depth direction of the housing 570D and face each other in the width direction. These ends 590a and 590b are bent in a direction that approaches each other in the width direction, and an engagement shaft 591 that protrudes outward is formed on each outer surface of the end 590. The engagement shaft 591 is parallel to the width direction of the housing 570D.

[0184] Each engagement shaft 591 has a cylindrical shape and is engaged with a pair of engagement holes 570d on the housing 570D side. Each engagement shaft 591 is inserted into and engaged with each engagement hole 570d from the inside of the housing 570D. The grip 590 is rotatable in the +Z direction around the engagement shaft 591. An L-shaped engagement portion (second engagement portion: movement restricting portion) 592 is formed on one end 590a of the grip 590.

[0185] 11, when grip portion 590 is in the stored state, locking portion 592 extends toward the -Y direction and has a convex shape in the +Z direction at its end on the -Y direction. When grip portion 590 is in the stored state, locking portion 592 is inserted into through-hole 570h formed in step portion 57e on the +X direction side of housing 570D, and convex portion 592a protrudes toward the -Y direction beyond through-hole 570h. When grip portion 590 is in the used state, locking portion 592 is in a state of coming out of through-hole 570h into the inside of housing 570D when grip portion 590 is in the used state, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

[0186] When the grip 590 is in the stored state, the locking portion 592 is also inserted into a locking hole (first locking portion: movement restricting portion) 580h formed in one step 58e of the platform main body 58 of the platform 670D. ​​The protrusion 592a of the locking portion 592 protrudes further in the -Y direction than the locking hole 580h. An end face 592b of the protrusion 592a on the +Y direction side of the locking portion 592 faces an outer surface 58y on the -Y direction side of one step 58e of the platform main body 58, and the two engage with each other. When the case main body 57D is locked to the platform main body 58 via the grip 590, horizontal movement of the case main body 57D relative to the platform 67 is restricted and the case main body 57D is fixed.

[0187] According to the configuration of the present embodiment, case body 57D is provided with a handle, which allows case body 57D to be detached from lifting platform 67 and carried. Grip 590 is used by lifting it upward when carrying it, and the rest of the grip can be stored in cutout 570c of case body 57D, allowing it to function as part of the side peripheral wall of case body 57D.

[0188] After being removed from the lifting platform 67, the case body 57D can be placed anywhere, such as on a countertop or table. The provision of the legs 570e on the case body 57D allows it to remain horizontal wherever it is placed. This allows the case body 57D to be placed stably, preventing the contents inside from tipping over.

[0189] In this embodiment, two movement restricting members restrict horizontal movement of case main body 57D relative to lift platform 67. The first movement restricting member (hereinafter referred to as first movement restricting member 21; FIG. 5) is composed of a locking projection 57h provided on side wall 57d of case main body 57D and a recessed groove 58j provided on side wall 58d of lift platform main body 58, and locking projection 57h is locked in recessed groove 58j in the horizontal direction. The second movement restricting member (hereinafter referred to as second movement restricting member 22) is composed of a locking portion 592 provided on grip portion 590 of case main body 57D and a locking hole 580h provided in step 57e of lift platform main body 58, and locking portion 592 is locked in the horizontal direction to step 57e through locking hole 580h. This restricts horizontal movement of the case main body 57D relative to the lift table 670D.

[0190] In a configuration in which the platform 67 and the case body 57D are separable, for example, if an object is placed on the bottom surface 58a of the platform body 58 after removing the case body 57D from the platform 67, the object may become trapped between the platform body 58 and the bottom surface 58a when the case body 57D is returned to its original position. In such a case, even if the locking protrusion 57h of the first movement restricting unit 21 can be inserted into the recessed groove 58j, the locking protrusion 57h cannot be inserted all the way into the recessed groove 58j, resulting in the case body 57D being attached in an unstable, floating position above the platform body 58. The second movement restricting unit 22 restricts movement when the gripping portion 590 is tilted to the stored position. When the case body 57D is floating above the platform body 58, the gripping portion 590 cannot be tilted and cannot be locked to the platform body 58. This allows the user to notice that an object is trapped between the platform body 58 and the case body 57D. In this manner, in this embodiment, the case main body 57D is reliably fixed to the lift table 67 not only by the first movement restricting portion 21 but also by the second movement restricting portion 22.

[0191] In this embodiment, which assumes that the case body 57D will be removed more frequently than in other embodiments, the two movement control parts 21, 22 restrict the horizontal movement of the case body 57D relative to the lifting platform 67, thereby preventing rattling of the case body 57D.

[0192] Furthermore, when removing case body 57D from lift-up platform 67, the user lifts gripping part 590 upward to release second movement restricting part 22, and then holds gripping part 590 and lifts case body 57D further upward to release first movement restricting part 21. In this way, restrictions imposed by two movement restricting parts 21 and 22 can be released simultaneously with the removal action, so case body 57D can be carried out of refrigerator 1 smoothly.

[0193] According to the several embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a refrigerator 1 equipped with a door storage case 56 that is easy to use according to the user's purpose. In the refrigerator 1 configured as described above, the upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B, which are installed on the right-side refrigerator door 12 and can be moved up and down, are structured to include a lifting platform 67 and a case body 57 that can be attached and detached to the lifting platform 67. This allows the case body 57 to be removed from the lifting platform 67 depending on the user's purpose, making the refrigerator easy to use.

[0194] In the first to third embodiments described above, the drawer structure and the tube holder structure make it possible to separate and store various items of different sizes. For example, by storing relatively tall items in first storage section 571 of case body 57 and storing smaller items together in drawer section 573 of case body 57 or in the tube holder formed by partition section 580, it is possible to prevent the items from getting mixed up with the other tall items and make them easier to take out.

[0195] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the case body 57 is portable and self-standing, so that, for example, seasonings and the like used for meals and cooking can be stored together in the case body 57 and carried to a table or kitchen counter. In this way, the case body 57 can be used not only for storing seasonings in a refrigerator but also for a wide range of other purposes, thereby increasing the versatility of the case body 57.

[0196] In the above-described embodiment, since the case bodies 57 of the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B have the same shape, it is possible to interchange the case bodies 57 between the upper door storage case 56A and the middle door storage case 56B. Furthermore, the user can appropriately select the case bodies 57 of the embodiments with different specifications according to their purposes.

[0197] Furthermore, upper door storage case 56A and middle door storage case 56B do not have to be movable so as to be vertically movable, and may be fixed to the inside of refrigerator compartment door 12. In this case, by fixing lift platform 67 to the inside of refrigerator compartment door 12 as a base, it becomes possible to remove just case body 57. As in the above-described embodiment, a stable attachment state can be maintained by supporting case body 57, which has increased in weight as it is filled with contents, with the base fixed to the door.

[0198] According to at least one of the embodiments described above, a refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body including a storage compartment, a door that can open and close the storage compartment, and a plurality of door storage cases arranged vertically inside the door. At least one of the plurality of door storage cases has a base attached to the door and a case main body that has a storage section and is detachably attached to the base, making it possible to provide a refrigerator equipped with door storage cases that are easy to use according to the user's purpose.

[0199] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0200] 1...refrigerator, 5...refrigerator body, 12, 13...refrigerator compartment door (door), 21...movement restriction part, 27...refrigerator compartment (storage compartment), 54, 56...door storage case, 57, 57B, 57C, 57D...case body, 57h...locking protrusion (second locking part: movement restriction part), 58...lifting platform body, 58j...recess (first locking part: movement restriction part), 64...rail part , 67...lifting platform (base), 73...locking member, 80...lock release mechanism, 570e...leg portion, 571...first storage section, 571a, 572a...opening, 572...second storage section, 575...lid portion, 580...partition portion, 580h...locking hole (first locking portion: movement restriction portion), 590...gripping portion, 592...locking portion (second locking portion), 670D...lifting platform

Claims

1. A refrigerator including a refrigerator body including a storage compartment, a door having a rail portion extending in a vertical direction and closing the storage compartment in an openable and closable manner, and a plurality of door storage cases arranged in the vertical direction inside the door, At least one of the plurality of door housing cases is A base attached to the door; a case body having a storage section and removably attached to the base; The base is a lifting platform main body that is movable in the up and down direction along the rail portion; A bottom surface portion that supports the case body from below; a front end plate portion extending downward from an edge of the bottom surface portion; a pair of locking members provided at both ends in a width direction within a range of a height in which the front end plate portion is formed in the up-down direction, and which are biased in the width direction to lock the door; an operating member that is provided within a range of heights in which the front end plate portion is formed in the up-down direction and that moves each of the pair of locking members in the width direction in accordance with the amount of movement in the depth direction; and a lock release mechanism for releasing the lock of the pair of locking members with respect to the door. refrigerator.

2. The base has a first guide portion that is guided in the up-down direction along the rail portion, and a second guide portion that is provided at a position spaced apart from the first guide portion in a direction away from the door, and the rail portion is inserted between the first guide portion and a second guide portion, The length of the first guide portion in the vertical direction is greater than the length of the second guide portion in the vertical direction.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The case body includes: A first storage section having an opening at an upper portion; a second storage section located below the first storage section and capable of being pulled out in a horizontal direction; 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The case body includes: A first storage section that opens upward; A second storage section that opens laterally; A lid portion capable of closing the opening of the second storage portion, 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The case body has partitions that form a plurality of the storage sections. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a movement restricting portion that restricts horizontal movement of the case body relative to the base, The movement restriction portion is A first locking portion provided on the base side; a second locking portion provided on the case body side and locking to the first locking portion; The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The case body has a grip portion that allows the case body to be carried, The second locking portion is formed on the grip portion.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6.

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