Refrigerator

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a door in a front face thereof and a storage compartment inside; a first storage container stored in the storage compartment and provided with a first storage container body with an open top surface, a first lower flange section extending from the first storage container body toward a first side wall section of the refrigerator body, and a second lower flange section extending from the first storage container body toward a second side wall section of the refrigerator body opposite the first side wall section; and a second storage container supported by the first storage container and stored in the storage compartment, and provided with a second storage container body with an open top surface, a first upper flange section extending from the second storage container body toward the first side wall section and slidable in the front–rear direction of the refrigerator body on top of the first lower flange section, and a second upper flange section extending from the second storage container body toward the second side wall section and slidable in the front–rear direction of the refrigerator body on top of the second lower flange section. The second storage container has a first storage section disposed on the first side wall section side and a second storage section disposed on the second side wall section side, the second storage section having a shorter dimension in the depth direction of the refrigerator body than the first storage section. A first catch mechanism is formed by an upwardly protruding first protruding section provided on the upper surface of the first lower flange section of the first storage container and a downwardly protruding first catching protrusion provided on the lower surface of the first upper flange section of the second storage container, such that the first catching protrusion is caught on the first protruding section. A second catch mechanism is formed by an upwardly protruding second protruding section provided on the upper surface of the second lower flange section of the first storage container and a downwardly protruding second catching protrusion provided on the lower surface of the second upper flange section of the second storage container, such that the second catching protrusion is caught on the second protruding section. The first protruding section of the first catch mechanism and the second protruding section of the second catch mechanism are configured to inhibit rotation of the second storage container relative to the first storage container.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator having a storage container in which cases are stacked in multiple stages.

[0002] A known refrigerator includes a storage compartment that opens to the front of the refrigerator body, a door attached to the refrigerator body for opening and closing the storage compartment, and a food storage case that is a storage container housed within the storage compartment and can be pulled out in the front-to-rear direction. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the food storage case is comprised of a lower case and an upper case that can slide back and forth on the lower case, and the upper case has a first storage section that extends in the depth direction of the refrigerator body and a second storage section that extends shorter in the depth direction than the first storage section. The lower case has a convex portion, and the upper case has an engaging portion that engages with the convex portion of the lower case.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-159952

[0004] In the food storage case disclosed in Patent Document 1, the upper and lower cases are provided with a concave / convex locking feature. The upper case has a second storage section that is short in the depth direction of the main body. Therefore, for example, if the second storage section is located on either the left or right side of the upper case when viewed from the front, the center of gravity of the upper case will shift to either the left or right. When a user operates such an upper case, an external force is required to overcome the convex shape to slide the upper case relative to the lower case. However, depending on the position of the handle, an external force may be applied at a position different from the center of gravity, causing the upper case to rotate around its center of gravity, causing the upper case to rotate sideways and fall off the lower case.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a refrigerator with improved operability of storage containers.

[0006] A refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises: a refrigerator main body having a door on a front surface and a storage compartment therein; a first storage container housed in the storage compartment and including: a first storage container main body having an open top surface; a first lower flange portion extending from the first storage container main body toward a first side wall portion of the refrigerator main body; and a second lower flange portion extending from the first storage container main body toward a second side wall portion of the refrigerator main body opposite the first side wall portion; a second storage container supported by the first storage container and housed in the storage compartment and including: a second storage container main body having an open top surface; a first upper flange portion extending from the second storage container main body toward the first side wall portion and slidable on the first lower flange portion in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator main body; and a second upper flange portion extending from the second storage container main body toward the second side wall portion and slidable on the second lower flange portion in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator main body; The container has a first storage section arranged on the first side wall side and a second storage section arranged on the second side wall side and having a dimension shorter than the first storage section in the depth direction of the refrigerator body, and a first locking mechanism is formed by a first protrusion provided on an upper surface of the first lower flange section of the first storage container and protruding upward, and a first locking protrusion provided on a lower surface of the first upper flange section of the second storage container, protruding downward and engaging with the first protrusion, and a second locking mechanism is formed by a second protrusion provided on an upper surface of the second lower flange section of the first storage container and protruding upward, and a second locking protrusion provided on a lower surface of the second upper flange section of the second storage container, protruding downward and engaging with the second protrusion, and the first protrusion of the first locking mechanism and the second protrusion of the second locking mechanism are configured to prevent the second storage container from rotating relative to the first storage container.

[0007] In the refrigerator according to the present disclosure, the first and second storage containers have the first and second locking mechanisms configured to restrict rotation of the second storage container, thereby preventing the second storage container from falling off the first and second flanges of the first storage container, thereby improving the operability of the storage section of the refrigerator.

[0008] 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in a state where the freezer compartment door is pulled out. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in a state where the upper case is pushed in. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the freezer compartment door of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in a state where the freezer compartment door is open and the upper case is pushed in. FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the upper case and the lower case of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in a state where the freezer compartment door is closed. FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in a state where the freezer compartment door is closed. FIG. 12 is a top view of the upper case and the lower case of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a left cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first locking mechanism of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a right cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a second locking mechanism of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an engaged state of a second locking mechanism of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a disengaged state of a second locking mechanism of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a top view of a freezer compartment of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a first protrusion and a second protrusion of a refrigerator according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a first protrusion and a second protrusion of a refrigerator according to a modified example of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a positional relationship between the second protrusion and a second locking protrusion of a refrigerator according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a second protrusion of a refrigerator according to modified example 1 of embodiment 2 of the present disclosure.

[0009] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent and will be common throughout the entire description of the embodiment described below. The shapes of components shown in the entire specification are merely examples and are not limited to the shapes described in the specification. In addition, the size relationships between components in the drawings may differ from the actual size relationships. In the present embodiment, terms indicating directions (e.g., "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," "rear," etc.) are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these terms are for explanatory purposes and do not limit the present disclosure.

[0010] Embodiment 1. <Configuration of Refrigerator 100> Fig. 1 is a front view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Although the following description uses a six-door refrigerator 100 as an example, the configuration of the present disclosure can also be applied to refrigerators 100 with five or fewer doors or seven or more doors.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, refrigerator 100 includes a main body 101 that forms an outer shell, and multiple storage compartments are provided inside main body 101. Main body 101 is an example of a refrigerator main body. The multiple storage compartments are specifically a refrigerator compartment 1, an ice-making compartment 2, a small freezer compartment 3, a freezer compartment 4, and a vegetable compartment 5. Refrigerator compartment 1 is provided on the top shelf of refrigerator 100. The open front portion of refrigerator compartment 1 is closed by two double doors, a refrigerator compartment left door 6 and a refrigerator compartment right door 7, which can be opened and closed freely.

[0012] Below refrigerator compartment 1, ice making compartment 2 and small freezer compartment 3 are arranged in parallel, and their storage containers are pulled out toward the user by pulling out drawer-type doors, ice making compartment door 31 and small freezer compartment door 32. Vegetable compartment 5 is provided at the bottom of refrigerator 100, and freezer compartment 4 is provided above vegetable compartment 5. Freezer compartment 4 is located below ice making compartment 2 and small freezer compartment 3, which are arranged in parallel on the left and right, and above vegetable compartment 5. Like ice making compartment 2 and small freezer compartment 3, freezer compartment door 14 and vegetable compartment door 33 are pulled out, and their storage containers are pulled out toward the user.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line A-A in FIG. 1 . As shown in FIG. 3 , refrigerator body 101 of refrigerator 100 is composed of outer box 10 and inner box 17. A thermal insulator including vacuum insulation material 55 is filled between outer box 10 and inner box 17. The refrigerator 100 includes a cooler compartment 30 equipped with a cooler 12 and a cooling fan 11. Cooler 12, together with a condenser (not shown), an expansion device (not shown), and a compressor 8 installed in machine compartment 9, constitutes a refrigeration cycle circuit. The expansion device (not shown) is, for example, a capillary tube. Air in cooler compartment 30 is cooled by cooler 12 to generate cold air that is supplied to each storage compartment.

[0014] The cold air produced by the refrigeration cycle circuit is blown by a cooling fan 11 installed above the cooler 12 and supplied to the freezer compartment 4, ice-making compartment 2, small freezer compartment 3, and refrigerator compartment 1 through a supply duct 13 on the back of the refrigerator 100. Return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 1 is supplied to the vegetable compartment 5 via a refrigerator compartment return air duct (not shown). The cold air supplied to the vegetable compartment 5 is returned to the cooler 12 through a return duct (not shown). The temperature of each storage compartment is detected by a thermistor installed in each storage compartment and is controlled to maintain a preset temperature by adjusting the opening of the damper installed in each compartment, the output of the compressor 8, the airflow rate of the cooling fan 11, etc.

[0015] <Configuration of freezer compartment 4> Fig. 4 is a perspective view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, with freezer compartment door 14 pulled out. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, with upper case 15 pushed in. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 , freezer compartment 4 is provided with lower case 16 and upper case 15 that operate integrally with freezer compartment door 14.

[0016] The lower case 16 is supported by a frame 35 fixed to the freezer compartment door 14, and can be pulled out of the freezer compartment 4 when the freezer compartment door 14 is pulled out, and can be pushed into the freezer compartment 4 when the door is pushed in. The upper case 15 is supported by the lower case 16 when the lower case 16 is pulled out of the freezer compartment 4, but when an operator takes food stored in the lower case 16 in or out, the upper case 15 slides toward the back of the freezer compartment 4 and is pushed into the freezer compartment 4.

[0017] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of freezer compartment door 14 of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 6, a pair of frames 35 are fixed to the back surface of freezer compartment door 14, spaced apart in the left-right direction, and extend in the front-rear direction.

[0018] Frame-side rollers 36 are attached to the rear lower part of the frame 35. The frame 35 can be pulled out of or pushed into the freezer compartment 4 by sliding back and forth using the frame-side rollers 36.

[0019] Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure with freezer compartment door 14 open and upper case 15 pushed in. Fig. 7 shows a cross section in the width direction taken along line B-B in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a partial enlarged view of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, enlarging area C in Fig. 7.

[0020] 7 and 8, the freezer compartment 4 is defined by a first side wall 17a and a second side wall 17b facing the first side wall 17a. The first side wall 17a and the second side wall 17b form the left and right side walls of the freezer compartment 4 and also the left and right side walls of the main body 101. The first side wall 17a is, for example, the left side wall, and the second side wall 17b is, for example, the right side wall.

[0021] The first side wall 17a and the second side wall 17b are provided with a pair of inner box protrusions 38 spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and protruding inward into the freezer compartment 4. A fixed rail 39 having a concave shape in cross section and extending in the front-to-rear direction is attached to the inside of the inner box protrusion 38. The fixed rail 39 is made of, for example, metal. The fixed rail 39 is the portion on which the frame-side rollers 36 of the frame 35 are disposed. The lower side of the fixed rail 39 forms a fixed rail lower bent portion 39b that protrudes inward into the freezer compartment 4.

[0022] Rail-side rollers (not shown) are provided in front of the lower bent portion 39b of the fixed rail. When the upper case 15 is moved in the front-to-rear direction, the frame-side rollers 36 rotate and move on the fixed rail 39, and the rail-side rollers rotate and move on the frame 35. When the freezer compartment door 14 is opened or closed, the frame 35, together with the lower case 16, is moved in and out of the main body 101 of the refrigerator 100 by the fixed rail 39, the frame-side rollers 36, the frame 35, and the rail-side rollers.

[0023] An inner box support portion 18 that protrudes into freezer compartment 4 is formed above inner box protrusion portion 38. Inner box support portion 18 is a portion that supports upper case 15 when food stored in lower case 16 is taken in or out, that is, when upper case 15 is pushed into freezer compartment 4.

[0024] The frame 35 is taken in and out by opening and closing the freezer compartment door 14, i.e., by moving it back and forth, and the lower case 16 is also taken in and out by opening and closing the freezer compartment door 14 together with the frame 35. The lower case 16 is supported by the frame 35, and when the freezer compartment door 14 is closed, it is stored in the freezer compartment 4 together with the upper case 15.

[0025] <Configuration of upper case 15 and lower case 16> Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing upper case 15 and lower case 16 of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing lower case 16 of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

[0026] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the lower case 16 is a storage portion that is placed on the frame 35 of the freezer compartment door 14 and operates integrally with the freezer compartment door 14. The lower case 16 is an example of a first storage container. The lower case 16 has a lower case main body 160 that is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and has an open top. The lower case main body 160 of the lower case 16 has lower case side wall portions 16a that form the left and right side walls. The lower case main body 160 is an example of a first storage container main body.

[0027] The lower case 16 has a first lower flange portion 16b and a second lower flange portion 16c that extend from the lower case main body 160 in the front-to-rear direction of the freezer compartment 4 and in the depth direction. The first lower flange portion 16b and the second lower flange portion 16c extend away from each other. For example, the first lower flange portion 16b extends from the upper end of the left lower case side wall portion 16a toward the first side wall portion 17a of the freezer compartment 4. The second lower flange portion 16c extends from the upper end of the right lower case side wall portion 16a toward the second side wall portion 17b of the freezer compartment 4. The first lower flange portion 16b and the second lower flange portion 16c are disposed on a pair of frames 35 fixed to the freezer compartment door 14, so that the lower case 16 is detachably supported by the frames 35 and, ultimately, by the freezer compartment door 14.

[0028] The upper case 15 is a storage section that is shallower and has a smaller volume than the lower case 16. The upper case 15 is an example of a second storage container. When putting food stored in or taking food out of the lower case 16, the upper case 15 is slid rearward and pushed into the back of the freezer compartment 4 relative to the lower case 16. The upper case 15 has an upper case main body 150 that is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and has an open top. The upper case main body 150 of the upper case 15 has upper case side wall portions 15a that form the left and right side walls. The upper case main body 150 is an example of a second storage container main body.

[0029] Upper case 15 has a first upper flange portion 19a and a second upper flange portion 19b that extend from upper case main body 150 in the depth direction, which is the front-to-rear direction of freezer compartment 4. First upper flange portion 19a and second upper flange portion 19b extend in directions away from each other. When upper case 15 is stored in freezer compartment 4, first upper flange portion 19a extends from the upper end of upper case side wall portion 15a toward first side wall portion 17a, and second upper flange portion 19b extends from the upper end of upper case side wall portion 15a toward second side wall portion 17b.

[0030] Upper case 15 is locked to lower case 16 by first locking mechanism 50a and second locking mechanism 50b, and can be separated from lower case 16 by a user pushing upper case handle 23 rearward. When upper case 15 separates from lower case 16, first upper flange portion 19a and second upper flange portion 19b of upper case 15 rest on the left and right inner box support portions 18, respectively. Next, first upper flange portion 19a and second upper flange portion 19b slide on the inner box support portions 18, pushing upper case 15 into freezer compartment 4 and supporting it in freezer compartment 4 by being supported by the inner box support portions 18.

[0031] Because the upper case 15 covers the top surface of the lower case 16, when the upper case 15 moves to the back of the freezer compartment 4, the lower case 16 is opened, allowing items to be put in and taken out. When the freezer compartment door 14 is closed, the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 are stored in the freezer compartment 4 together with the frame 35.

[0032] An upper case handle 23 is provided on the upper case 15. The upper case handle 23 is provided in the center of the front side of the upper case 15 and is the part that is operated by the user when the upper case 15 is pushed rearward to the back side of the freezer compartment 4.

[0033] The upper case 15 has a cutout 29. As shown in FIG. 13 (described later), when the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 are stacked, if the first storage section 70 and the second storage section 71 have different depth dimensions, the cutout 29 forms a communication space. The communication space is provided so that tall food items can be stored in the lower case 16. The communication space makes it possible to access the lower case 16 through the communication space, and food items can be stored in the lower case 16 without having to move the upper case 15 to the back of the freezer compartment 4.

[0034] Fig. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure with freezer compartment door 14 closed, and corresponds to Fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a partial enlarged view of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure with freezer compartment door 14 closed, showing a partial enlarged view of the periphery of inner box support portion 18 of second side wall portion 17b. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, second lower flange portion 16c of lower case 16 has first support portion 16d and second support portion 16e.

[0035] The first support portion 16d is a portion located at the distal end of the second lower flange portion 16c. The first support portion 16d is disposed on the upper surface of the upper bent portion 35a of the frame 35 and can be frilled onto the upper surface of the upper bent portion 35a. The first support portion 16d is supported by the upper bent portion 35a of the frame 35, so that the lower case 16 is detachably supported by the frame 35 and, ultimately, by the freezer compartment door 14.

[0036] The second support portion 16e is a portion between the upper end of the lower case side wall portion 16a and the first support portion 16d, and connects the first support portion 16d and the lower case side wall portion 16a. The second support portion 16e is formed at a higher position than the first support portion 16d, and the first support portion 16d and the second support portion 16e form a stepped structure. The second support portion 16e is supported above the frame upper bent portion 35a by the first support portion 16d with a fixed gap therebetween. The upper case 15 is supported by the second support portion 16e.

[0037] An upwardly protruding anti-fall-off rib 20 is provided on the outer edge of the second support portion 16e. The anti-fall-off rib 20 is provided to prevent the upper case 15 from falling off the second support portion 16e.

[0038] The second support portion 16e is provided with a protrusion 26. The protrusion 26 is provided inside the fall-off prevention rib 20. The protrusion 26 locks the upper case 15 to the lower case 16, so that the upper case 15 can be pulled out together with the lower case 16 by opening and closing the freezer compartment door 14. The protrusion 26 includes a first protrusion 26a (see FIG. 15) provided on the first side wall 17a side and a second protrusion 26b (see FIG. 17) provided on the second side wall 17b side.

[0039] The first lower flange portion 16b only needs to have a similar structure to the second lower flange portion 16c, but in the opposite direction in the left-right direction, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] The second upper flange portion 19b of the upper case 15 has a box body locking portion 21a, a lower case installation portion 21b, and a bent leg portion 21c.

[0041] The lower case installation section 21b extends outward from the upper end of the upper case side wall 15a toward the second side wall 17b. The lower case installation section 21b is located above the lower case side wall 16a when the freezer compartment door 14 is closed.

[0042] Box body locking portion 21 a is formed above lower case installation portion 21 b, extends upward from lower case installation portion 21 b, and then bends and extends outward. When upper case 15 is pushed into freezer compartment 4, box body locking portion 21 a is placed on and locked to inner box support portion 18 of second side wall portion 17 b.

[0043] Bent leg portion 21c is formed on the outer edge of lower case mounting portion 21b and is a portion that bends and extends downward from lower case mounting portion 21b. Bent leg portion 21c is disposed between anti-fall-out rib 20 of lower case 16 and protrusion 26 of lower case 16. Bent leg portion 21c is slidable on second support portion 16e of lower case 16, and is disposed on second support portion 16e of second lower flange portion 16c when freezer compartment door 14 is closed.

[0044] The first upper flange portion 19a only needs to have a similar structure to the second upper flange portion 19b, but in the opposite direction in the left-right direction, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] 13 is a top view of upper case 15 and lower case 16 of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 13, line D-D is a straight line in the depth direction that passes through first locking mechanism 50a, and line E-E is a straight line in the depth direction that passes through second locking mechanism 50b.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 13 , the upper case 15 has a first bottom plate portion 28a and a second bottom plate portion 28b. The first bottom plate portion 28a and the second bottom plate portion 28b are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The second bottom plate portion 28b has a smaller dimension in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., the depth direction, than the first bottom plate portion 28a. The second bottom plate portion 28b also has a smaller dimension in the left-to-right direction, i.e., the width direction, than the first bottom plate portion 28a. A notch 29 is formed due to the difference in the depth direction dimensions between the first bottom plate portion 28a and the second bottom plate portion 28b.

[0047] A first storage section 70 extending in the front-to-rear direction is formed by first bottom plate section 28a and upper case side wall section 15a erected from the periphery of first bottom plate section 28a. A second storage section 71 extending in the front-to-rear direction and having a shorter dimension in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., the depth direction, than first storage section 70 is formed by second bottom plate section 28b and upper case side wall section 15a erected from the periphery of second bottom plate section 28b. First storage section 70 and second storage section 71 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction when refrigerator 100 is viewed from the front with upper case 15 stored in freezer compartment 4.

[0048] Figure 14 is a left side cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, taken along line D-D in Figure 13. Figure 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of first locking mechanism 50a of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Figure 16 is a right side cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, taken along line E-E in Figure 13. Figure 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of second locking mechanism 50b of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

[0049] As shown in Figures 14 to 17, the first locking protrusion 24a and the first protrusion 26a form a first locking mechanism 50a, and the second locking protrusion 24b and the second protrusion 26b form a second locking mechanism 50b. The first locking protrusion 24a is a portion that protrudes downward from the underside of the lower case mounting portion 21b in front of the lower case mounting portion 21b of the first upper flange portion 19a. The second locking protrusion 24b is a portion that protrudes downward from the underside of the lower case mounting portion 21b in front of the lower case mounting portion 21b of the second upper flange portion 19b. The first locking protrusion 24a is locked to the first protrusion 26a of the first lower flange portion 16b, and the second locking protrusion 24b is locked to the second protrusion 26b of the second lower flange portion 16c. When the freezer compartment door 14 is pulled out, that is, when it is pulled out in the direction of the white arrow in the figure, the first locking mechanism 50a and the second locking mechanism 50b allow the upper case 15 to be pulled out together with the lower case 16.

[0050] <Configuration of first locking mechanism 50a and second locking mechanism 50b> Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating an engaged state of second locking mechanism 50b of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a disengaged state of second locking mechanism 50b of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figs. 18 and 19 , second locking mechanism 50b is in an engaged state when upper case 15 is pulled out together with lower case 16, and is in an unlocked state when upper case 15 is pushed into main body 101.

[0051] Specifically, when upper case 15 is moved rearward and second locking protrusion 24b passes over second protrusion 26b, second locking mechanism 50b is released from its locking state. Furthermore, when upper case 15 is moved rearward and first locking protrusion 24a passes over first protrusion 26a, first locking mechanism 50a is released from its locking state. Releasing the locks of first locking mechanism 50a and second locking mechanism 50b allows upper case 15 to slide over lower case 16, allowing upper case 15 to be pushed into main body 101.

[0052] The operation of the first locking protrusion 24a and the second locking protrusion 24b climbing over the first protrusion 26a and the second protrusion 26b is performed so that the upper case 15 does not fall off from the top of the lower case 16. To facilitate the operation of climbing over the first protrusion 26a and the second protrusion 26b, it is desirable that the upper case handle 23 provided on the upper case 15 be located in the center in the left-right direction.

[0053] 20 is a top view of freezer compartment 4 of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 20 , when upper case 15 is pushed into main body 101, a force is applied to upper case handle 23 in the direction of the black arrow, that is, in the depth direction of main body 101.

[0054] When force F is applied to upper case handle 23 in the direction of the black arrow, a deforming force is applied to notch 29 of upper case 15 as indicated by thick dashed line H. This is because the notch 29 of upper case 15 prevents the force from being transmitted evenly to the left and right sides of upper case 15. If the force is not transmitted evenly to the left and right sides of upper case 15, the force with which first locking protrusion 24a and second locking protrusion 24b overcome first protrusion 26a and second protrusion 26b on the left and right sides of lower case 16 will not be uniform. Therefore, when a user presses upper case handle 23 forcefully, force F becomes counterclockwise rotating force R as indicated by the white arrow, causing upper case 15 to rotate laterally, which may result in upper case 15 falling off lower case 16.

[0055] Furthermore, the size of the cutout 29 is determined by the food expected to be stored in the cutout 29, so it may not be possible to position the upper case handle 23 in the center in the left-right direction. In this case, the force F is not transmitted evenly to the left and right sides of the upper case 15, causing the upper case 15 to rotate sideways and become more likely to fall off the lower case 16.

[0056] As described above, the lower case 16 is provided with an upwardly protruding anti-detachment rib 20 on the second support portion 16e of the lower case 16 to prevent the upper case 15 from falling off the second support portion 16e of the lower case 16 due to rotation of the upper case 15 or other factors when the upper case 15 is moved back and forth. However, depending on the size of the freezer compartment 4, the distance between the inner box support portion 18 protruding inward of the freezer compartment 4 and the inner box protrusion portion 38 provided for attaching the fixed rail 39 may be short, and the gap between the frame 35 and the inner box support portion 18 may not be large. In such cases, the distance between the anti-detachment rib 20 and the inner box support portion 18 is also small, limiting the height of the anti-detachment rib 20. If the height of the anti-detachment rib 20 is limited and it becomes lower than the top surface of the lower case installation portion 21b, the anti-detachment rib 20 will not be high enough to prevent rotation of the upper case 15. In this case, if the upper case 15 rotates sideways, the bent leg portion 21c of the upper case 15 will climb over the anti-fall rib 20, causing the upper case 15 to fall off the second support portion 16e.

[0057] Therefore, the first locking mechanism 50a and the second locking mechanism 50b are configured to suppress rotation of the upper case 15 relative to the lower case 16. This prevents the upper case 15 from falling off the first lower flange portion 16b and the second lower flange portion 16c of the lower case 16.

[0058] <Configuration of First Protrusion 26a and Second Protrusion 26b> Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of first protrusion 26a and second protrusion 26b of refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 21, first protrusion 26a constituting first locking mechanism 50a has a height dimension H1, which is the vertical width, and second protrusion 26b constituting second locking mechanism 50b has a height dimension H2, which is the vertical width. Second locking mechanism 50b is a locking mechanism formed on the side where cutout 29 is formed, for example, the right side. First protrusion 26a and second protrusion 26b have different vertical width and height dimensions, and height dimension H2 of second protrusion 26b is greater than height dimension H1 of first protrusion 26a. The dimension H1 of the first protrusion 26a is, for example, 3 to 2 mm, and the dimension H2 of the second protrusion 26b is, for example, 5 to 3 mm.

[0059] When the upper case 15 is pushed into the freezer compartment 4, a force is applied so that the first locking protrusion 24a of the first locking mechanism 50a overcomes the first protrusion portion 26a, and the second locking protrusion 24b of the second locking mechanism 50b overcomes the second protrusion portion 26b.

[0060] If the force required to overcome the first locking mechanism 50a and the force required to overcome the second locking mechanism 50b are the same, the second locking protrusion 24b will overcome the second protrusion 26b before the first locking protrusion 24a overcomes the first protrusion 26a due to the effect of the cutout 29. This will cause the upper case 15 to rotate relative to the lower case 16.

[0061] In contrast, when the second protrusion 26b is higher than the first protrusion 26a, the force required to overcome the first locking mechanism 50a is greater than the force required to overcome the second locking mechanism 50b. The force required to overcome the first locking mechanism 50a is the force required to move the upper case 15 rearward. Therefore, the force required to rotate the upper case 15 is greater than the force required to move the upper case 15 rearward. In other words, the force required to move the upper case 15 rearward is reduced compared to the force required to rotate the upper case 15. As a result, before the upper case 15 overcomes the second protrusion 26b and begins to rotate counterclockwise, the first locking protrusion 24a slides over the first protrusion 26a, allowing the upper case 15 to slide evenly in the left-right direction.

[0062] In this way, the force required to move the upper case 15 rearward is reduced, or the force required to rotate the upper case 15 is increased, so that the first locking protrusion 24a can climb over the first protrusion 26a before the upper case 15 starts to rotate. This suppresses the counterclockwise rotation of the upper case 15, and prevents the upper case 15 from falling off the second support portion 16e. Note that the height dimensions of the first locking protrusion 24a and the second locking protrusion 24b are not particularly limited.

[0063] <Modification> Fig. 22 is a schematic diagram of first protrusion 26a and second protrusion 26b of refrigerator 100 according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 22, first protrusion 26a constituting first locking mechanism 50a and second protrusion 26b constituting second locking mechanism 50b have different slopes on their front surfaces. Specifically, first surface Oa, which is the front surface of first protrusion 26a, is an inclined surface with slope α1, which is lower than second surface Ob, which is the front surface of second protrusion 26b, with slope α1 being smaller.

[0064] In this case as well, the force required for the upper case 15 to move rearward is reduced relative to the force required for the upper case 15 to rotate. In other words, the force required for the upper case 15 to rotate is increased relative to the force required for the upper case 15 to move rearward. This allows the first locking protrusion 24a to overcome the first protrusion 26a before the upper case 15 starts to rotate, thereby suppressing the rotation of the upper case 15 and preventing the upper case 15 from falling off the second support portion 16e.

[0065] In refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment described above, first locking mechanism 50a and second locking mechanism 50b are configured to suppress rotation of upper case 15 relative to lower case 16. This prevents upper case 15 from falling off first lower flange portion 16b and second lower flange portion 16c of lower case 16, thereby improving the operability of the storage section.

[0066] Furthermore, the first protrusion 26a of the first locking mechanism 50a and the second protrusion 26b of the second locking mechanism 50b are configured so that the force required to move the upper case 15 in the front-to-rear direction is reduced relative to the force required to rotate the upper case 15. As a result, the upper case 15 begins to move in the front-to-rear direction before it starts to rotate, thereby suppressing rotation of the upper case 15 relative to the lower case 16.

[0067] Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the second protrusion 26b constituting the second locking mechanism 50b is greater than the vertical dimension of the first protrusion 26a constituting the first locking mechanism 50a. Therefore, the second locking protrusion 24b can overcome the second protrusion 26b with a force smaller than the force required to rotate the upper case 15. This prevents the upper case 15 from rotating relative to the lower case 16, and prevents the upper case 15 from falling off the first lower flange 16b and the second lower flange 16c of the lower case 16.

[0068] Furthermore, the second surface Ob on the front side of the second protrusion 26b has a slope α1 that is larger than the first surface Oa on the front side of the first protrusion 26a. Therefore, before the upper case 15 starts to rotate, the first locking protrusion 24a climbs over the first protrusion 26a and the upper case 15 starts to slide, thereby suppressing rotation of the upper case 15 relative to the lower case 16.

[0069] Second Embodiment. Figure 23 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of refrigerator 100 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of second protrusion 26b of refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, and is an enlarged view of area G in Figure 23. Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between second protrusion 26b and second locking protrusion 24b of refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment differs from embodiment 1 in the configuration of second locking mechanism 50b. In the second embodiment, parts common to those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1.

[0070] 23 to 25, an opposing surface 60 that faces the second side wall portion 17b of the freezer compartment 4 is formed on the upper surface of the second protrusion portion 26b of the second locking mechanism 50b. When the upper case 15 attempts to rotate, the opposing surface 60 corrects the trajectory of the second locking protrusion 24b so that the second locking protrusion 24b moves along the second lower flange portion 16c against the rotational force.

[0071] Specifically, the opposing surface 60 has an inclination such that its height decreases outward. The opposing surface 60 is provided on the second protrusion 26b of the second locking mechanism 50b, so that even if the second locking projection 24b attempts to move toward the first side wall 17a, the movement is prevented, thereby suppressing rotation of the upper case 15. This restricts the trajectory of the second locking projection 24b to follow the second lower flange 16c, thereby preventing the upper case 15 from falling off the first lower flange 16b and the second lower flange 16c of the lower case 16.

[0072] The configuration of the first locking mechanism 50a is not particularly limited, and may be similar to the configuration of the second locking mechanism 50b, or may be similar to the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0073] <Variation 1> Fig. 26 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of second protrusion 26b of refrigerator 100 according to Variation 1 of Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 26, a concave guide portion 61 recessed downward is formed on the upper surface of second protrusion 26b, and a convex portion (not shown) protruding downward is formed on the lower surface of second locking projection 24b. Of concave guide portion 61, the surface facing second side wall portion 17b indicated by the thick line in the figure serves as opposing surface 60.

[0074] When upper case 15 is pushed into freezer compartment 4, the convex portion of second locking protrusion 24b is guided by concave guide portion 61 of second protrusion 26b. When second locking protrusion 24b attempts to move toward first side wall 17a, the convex portion of second locking protrusion 24b abuts against opposing surface 60 of concave guide portion 61 of second protrusion 26b, thereby restricting the trajectory of second locking protrusion 24b to follow second lower flange 16c. This prevents upper case 15 from rotating relative to lower case 16 and prevents upper case 15 from falling off first lower flange 16b and second lower flange 16c of lower case 16.

[0075] <Modification 2> Fig. 27 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of second protrusion 26b of refrigerator 100 according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 27, a convex guide portion 61 that protrudes upward is formed on the upper surface of second protrusion 26b, and a concave portion (not shown) that is recessed upward is formed on the lower surface of second locking projection 24b. Of convex guide portion 61, the surface that faces second side wall portion 17b indicated by the thick line in the figure serves as opposing surface 60.

[0076] When upper case 15 is pushed into freezer compartment 4, the concave portion of second locking protrusion 24b is guided by convex guide portion 61 of second protrusion 26b. When second locking protrusion 24b attempts to move toward second side wall 17b, the concave portion of second locking protrusion 24b abuts against opposing surface 60 of second protrusion 26b, thereby restricting the trajectory of second locking protrusion 24b to follow second lower flange 16c. In this case, rotation of upper case 15 relative to lower case 16 is also restricted, and upper case 15 is prevented from falling off first lower flange 16b and second lower flange 16c of lower case 16.

[0077] In the first and second modifications, the guide portion 61 may be provided on the right side of the second protrusion portion 26b, that is, so as to be continuous with the second support portion 16e on the second side wall portion 17b side.

[0078] In refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment described above, second protrusion 26b of second locking mechanism 50b has opposing surface 60 that faces second side wall 17b of freezer compartment 4. Opposing surface 60 restricts movement of second locking protrusion 24b to a path along second upper flange 19b, preventing upper case 15 from rotating. This prevents upper case 15 from falling off first lower flange 16b and second lower flange 16c of lower case 16, improving the operability of the storage section.

[0079] Furthermore, because the opposing surface 60 is formed on the second side wall 17b side of the second protrusion 26b, movement of the second locking protrusion 24b toward the first side wall 17a is restricted, which prevents the upper case 15 from rotating and falling off the first lower flange 16b and the second lower flange 16c of the lower case 16, improving the operability of the storage section.

[0080] Furthermore, since the opposing surface 60 is formed on the second protrusion portion 26b and is part of a concave guide portion 61 that is recessed downward, the movement of the second locking protrusion 24b is restricted to a trajectory along the second upper flange portion 19b, thereby preventing the upper case 15 from falling off.

[0081] Furthermore, since the opposing surface 60 is formed on the second protrusion portion 26b and is part of the convex guide portion 61 that protrudes upward, the movement of the second locking protrusion 24b is restricted to a trajectory along the second upper flange portion 19b, thereby preventing the upper case 15 from falling off.

[0082] 1 Refrigerator compartment, 2 Ice making compartment, 3 Small freezer compartment, 4 Freezer compartment, 5 Vegetable compartment, 6 Refrigerator compartment left door, 7 Refrigerator compartment right door, 8 Compressor, 9 Machine compartment, 10 Outer case, 11 Cooling fan, 12 Cooler, 13 Supply duct, 14 Freezer compartment door, 15 Upper case, 15a Upper case side wall portion, 16 Lower case, 16a Lower case side wall portion, 16b First lower flange portion, 16c Second lower flange portion, 16d First support portion, 16e Second support portion, 17 Inner box, 17a First side wall portion, 17b Second side wall portion, 18 Inner box support portion, 19a First upper flange portion, 19b Second upper flange portion, 20 Fall-off prevention rib, 21a Box body locking portion, 21b Lower case installation portion, 21c Bent leg portion, 23 upper case handle, 24a first locking projection, 24b second locking projection, 26 protrusion portion, 26a first protrusion portion, 26b second protrusion portion, 28a first bottom plate portion, 28b second bottom plate portion, 29 cutout portion, 30 cooler compartment, 31 ice maker compartment door, 32 small freezer compartment door, 33 vegetable compartment door, 35 frame, 35a upper frame bent portion, 36 frame side roller, 38 inner box protrusion portion, 39 fixed rail, 39b lower fixed rail bent portion, 50a first locking mechanism, 50b second locking mechanism, 55 vacuum insulation material, 60 opposing surface, 61 guide portion, 70 first storage portion, 71 second storage portion, 100 refrigerator, 101 main body, 150 upper case main body, 160 lower case main body.

Claims

a first storage container that is accommodated in the storage chamber and has an open top, a first lower flange portion extending from the first storage container body toward a first side wall portion of the refrigerator body, and a second lower flange portion extending from the first storage container body toward a second side wall portion of the refrigerator body opposite the first side wall portion; a second storage container that is supported by the first storage container and accommodated in the storage chamber and has an open top, a first upper flange portion extending from the second storage container body toward the first side wall portion and slidable on the first lower flange portion in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator body, and a second upper flange portion extending from the second storage container body toward the second side wall portion and slidable on the second lower flange portion in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator body; the second storage container has a first storage section arranged on the first side wall portion side and a second storage section arranged on the second side wall portion side and having a dimension shorter than the first storage section in a depth direction of the refrigerator body; a first locking mechanism is formed by a first protrusion provided on an upper surface of the first lower flange portion of the first storage container and protruding upward, and a first locking protrusion provided on a lower surface of the first upper flange portion of the second storage container, protruding downward and locked with the first protrusion; a second locking mechanism is formed by a second protrusion provided on an upper surface of the second lower flange portion of the first storage container and protruding upward, and a second locking protrusion provided on a lower surface of the second upper flange portion of the second storage container, protruding downward and locked with the second protrusion; and the first protrusion of the first locking mechanism and the second protrusion of the second locking mechanism are configured to suppress rotation of the second storage container relative to the first storage container.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first protrusion of the first locking mechanism and the second protrusion of the second locking mechanism are configured such that the force required to move the second storage container in the forward and backward directions is reduced relative to the force required to rotate the second storage container.

3. A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical dimension of the second protrusion constituting the second locking mechanism is greater than the vertical dimension of the first protrusion constituting the first locking mechanism.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first protrusion constituting the first locking mechanism has a first surface on the front side, and the second protrusion constituting the second locking mechanism has a second surface on the front side, and the slope of the second surface is greater than the slope of the first surface.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the second protrusion of the second locking mechanism faces the second side wall of the refrigerator body and has an opposing surface that regulates the trajectory of the second locking protrusion.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the opposing surface of the first protrusion is formed on the second side wall portion side of the refrigerator body.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the first protrusion has a guide portion recessed downward, and a part of the guide portion forms the opposing surface.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the first protrusion has a guide portion protruding upward, and a part of the guide portion forms the opposing surface.

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