Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator according to an embodiment comprises: a main body having a storage chamber; a drawer case provided in the storage chamber, the drawer case comprising a case body forming the exterior of the drawer case and a case rail provided on the inner wall of the case body; and a drawer which is provided to be slidable along the case rail between a first drawer position of being inserted into the drawer case and a second drawer position of being drawn out from the first drawer position, wherein the drawer comprises: a drawer body forming the exterior of the drawer; and a movement rail which is coupled to the drawer body so as to guide movement of the drawer body between a third drawer position, which is between the first drawer position and the second drawer position, and the second drawer position, and the drawer case further comprises a case stopper which protrudes from the case rail toward the movement rail so that part of the drawer does not move relative to the case rail when the drawer is moved from the third drawer position to the second drawer position.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

[0002] A refrigerator is a device that maintains food freshness by including a main body with a storage compartment and a cooling system that supplies cold air to the storage compartment. The storage compartment includes a refrigerator compartment, which is maintained at approximately 0 to 5 degrees Celsius and used to refrigerate food, and a freezer compartment, which is maintained at approximately 0 to -30 degrees Celsius and used to freeze food. Typically, the storage compartment is designed to have an open front for food entry and exit, and the open front of the storage compartment is opened and closed by a door.

[0003] A refrigerator uses a compressor, condenser, expander, and evaporator to repeat the cooling cycle of compressing, condensing, expanding, and evaporating the refrigerant. A single evaporator located in the freezer can cool both the freezer and refrigerator compartments, or the freezer and refrigerator can each have their own evaporators, allowing for independent cooling.

[0004] The refrigerator may include drawers that can be inserted or removed to facilitate the putting in and taking out of food within the storage compartment.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including a drawer having improved assembly capabilities.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including a drawer that improves user convenience by increasing the withdrawal distance from the drawer case.

[0007] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0008] According to one embodiment, a refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment, a drawer case provided in the storage compartment, the drawer case including a case body forming an exterior of the drawer case and a case rail provided on an inner wall of the case body, and a drawer provided to be slidably moved along the case rail between a first drawer position retracted into the drawer case and a second drawer position retracted from the first drawer position with respect to the drawer case, the drawer including a drawer body forming an exterior of the drawer, and a moving rail coupled to the drawer body to guide movement of the drawer body between a third drawer position between the first drawer position and the second drawer position, and the drawer case further includes a case stopper provided to protrude from the case rail toward the moving rail so that a portion of the drawer is fixed relative to the case rail when the drawer moves from the third drawer position to the second drawer position.

[0009] According to one embodiment, a refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment, a door configured to open and close the storage compartment, a drawer case provided in the storage compartment, the drawer case including a case body forming an exterior of the drawer case and a case rail provided on an inner wall of the case body, and a drawer provided to be slidably moved along the case rail between a first drawer position retracted into the drawer case and a second drawer position retracted from the first drawer position with respect to the drawer case, the drawer including a drawer body forming an exterior of the drawer, the drawer body being provided to engage with at least a portion of the drawer case at a third drawer position between the first drawer position and the second drawer position, a fixed rail provided to be connected to the drawer body to guide the drawer between the first drawer position and the second drawer position, a moving rail coupled to the drawer body to guide the drawer body between the third drawer position and the second drawer position, and a separation prevention member protruding from the fixed rail toward the case rail to prevent the drawer from being separated from the drawer case at the second drawer position. The drawer case further includes a case stopper provided to protrude from the case rail toward the moving rail so that a portion of the drawer is fixed relative to the case rail when the drawer moves from the third drawer position to the second drawer position.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a drawer and a drawer case of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a drawer and a drawer case of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer and a drawer case when the drawer of a refrigerator is in a first drawer position, which is closed, according to one embodiment, taken along line A-A' of FIG. 3.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer and a drawer case when the drawer of a refrigerator is in a third drawer position, which is partially open, according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer and a drawer case when the drawer of the refrigerator is in a second drawer position, which is fully open, according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the appearance of a drawer of a refrigerator when assembled or disassembled according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 6.

[0019] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 7.

[0020] Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5.

[0021] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' of Fig. 3.

[0022] Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 12.

[0023] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, but rather to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments.

[0024] In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0025] The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0026] In this disclosure, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0027] The term “and / or” includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements.

[0028] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another and do not qualify the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0029] In addition, terms such as 'front', 'rear', 'top', 'bottom', 'side', 'left', 'right', 'upper', and 'lower' used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0030] The terms “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the present disclosure, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0031] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0032] When we say that a component is "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0033] A refrigerator according to one embodiment may include a body.

[0034] The “body” may include an inner case, an outer case placed on the outside of the inner case, and an insulating material provided between the inner case and the outer case.

[0035] The "inner case" may include at least one of a case, plate, panel, or liner forming a storage compartment. The inner case may be formed as a single body, or may be formed by assembling a plurality of plates. The "outer case" may form the outer appearance of the body, and may be joined to the outer side of the inner case so that insulation is placed between the inner case and the outer case.

[0036] "Insulation" can insulate the interior and exterior of a storage room so that the temperature inside the storage room can be maintained at a set temperature without being affected by the external environment. In one embodiment, the insulation can include foam insulation. The foam insulation can be formed by injecting and foaming urethane foam, a mixture of polyurethane and a foaming agent, between the inner and outer layers.

[0037] In one embodiment, the insulation may include a vacuum insulation material in addition to the foam insulation, or the insulation may consist solely of the vacuum insulation material instead of the foam insulation. The vacuum insulation material may include a core material and an outer shell material that accommodates the core material and seals the interior under a vacuum or near-vacuum pressure. However, the insulation material is not limited to the foam insulation or vacuum insulation material described above, and may include various materials that can be used for insulation.

[0038] A "storage room" may include a space defined by an interior wall. The storage room may further include an interior wall defining a corresponding space. The storage room may store various items, such as food, medicine, and cosmetics, and the storage room may be configured to be open on at least one side for the entry and exit of items.

[0039] A refrigerator may include one or more storage compartments. When a refrigerator includes two or more storage compartments, each compartment may have a different purpose and be maintained at different temperatures. To achieve this, each storage compartment may be separated from the others by a partition wall containing insulation.

[0040] The storage room may be provided to be maintained at an appropriate temperature range depending on the intended use, and may include a "refrigerator," a "freezer," or a "variable temperature room," which are distinguished according to the intended use and / or temperature range. The refrigerator room may be maintained at a temperature appropriate for refrigerating items, and the freezer room may be maintained at a temperature appropriate for freezing items. "Refrigeration" may mean cooling items to a temperature that does not freeze them, and for example, a refrigerator room may be maintained at a temperature ranging from 0 degrees Celsius to +7 degrees Celsius. "Freezing" may mean cooling items to freeze them or keep them in a frozen state, and for example, a freezer room may be maintained at a temperature ranging from -20 degrees Celsius to -1 degree Celsius. The variable temperature room may be used as either a refrigerator room or a freezer room, at the user's option or not.

[0041] In addition to names such as "refrigerator," "freezer," and "variable temperature room," a storage room may also be called by various other names such as "vegetable room," "fresh room," "cooling room," and "ice room." The terms "refrigerator," "freezer," and "variable temperature room" used hereinafter should be understood to encompass storage rooms having corresponding uses and temperature ranges.

[0042] In one embodiment, the refrigerator may include at least one door configured to open and close an open side of a storage compartment. The door may be configured to open and close one or more storage compartments, or a single door may be configured to open and close multiple storage compartments. The door may be installed on the front of the main body in a pivotal or sliding manner.

[0043] The “door” may be configured to seal the storage compartment when the door is closed. The door may include insulation, similar to the body, to insulate the storage compartment when the door is closed.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the door may include a door outer panel forming the front of the door, a door inner panel forming the back of the door and facing the storage compartment, an upper cap, a lower cap, and door insulation provided on the interior of these.

[0045] The door inner panel may be provided with a gasket that seals the storage compartment by contacting the front of the body when the door is closed. The door inner panel may include a dyke that protrudes rearward to accommodate a door basket for storing items.

[0046] In one embodiment, the door may include a door body and a front panel detachably coupled to the front side of the door body and forming the front of the door. The door body may include a door outer panel forming the front of the door body, a door inner panel forming the rear of the door body and facing the storage compartment, an upper cap, a lower cap, and door insulation provided inside these.

[0047] Depending on the arrangement of the door and storage compartment, refrigerators can be classified into French door type, side-by-side type, bottom mounted freezer (BMF), top mounted freezer (TMF), or single-door refrigerator.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment.

[0049] A “cold air supply device” may include a system of machines, devices, electronic devices and / or combinations thereof that can generate cold air and guide the cold air to cool a storage room.

[0050] In one embodiment, the cold air supply device can generate cold air through a refrigeration cycle that includes the processes of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation of a refrigerant. To this end, the cold air supply device can include a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator capable of driving the refrigeration cycle. In one embodiment, the cold air supply device can include a semiconductor, such as a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element can cool a storage compartment by generating heat and cooling through the Peltier effect.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a machine room in which at least some components belonging to the cold air supply device are arranged.

[0052] The "machine room" may be designed to be partitioned and insulated from the storage room to prevent heat generated by components placed within the machine room from being transferred to the storage room. The interior of the machine room may be configured to be connected to the exterior of the main body to dissipate heat from components placed within the machine room.

[0053] In one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a dispenser provided on the door to provide water and / or ice. The dispenser may be provided on the door so that it is accessible to a user without having to open the door.

[0054] In one embodiment, a refrigerator may include an ice-making device configured to produce ice. The ice-making device may include an ice-making tray configured to store water, an ice-separating device configured to separate ice from the ice-making tray, and an ice bucket configured to store ice produced in the ice-making tray.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include a control unit for controlling the refrigerator.

[0056] The “control unit” may include a memory that stores or memorizes a program and / or data for controlling the refrigerator, and a processor that outputs a control signal for controlling a cold air supply device, etc. according to the program and / or data memorized in the memory.

[0057] Memory stores or records various information, data, commands, programs, etc. necessary for the operation of the refrigerator. Memory can store temporary data generated during the generation of control signals for controlling components within the refrigerator. Memory may include at least one of volatile memory and non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof.

[0058] The processor controls the overall operation of the refrigerator. The processor can control the components of the refrigerator by executing programs stored in memory. The processor may include a separate NPU that performs the operations of an artificial intelligence model. The processor may also include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like. The processor may generate control signals to control the operation of the cooling system. For example, the processor may receive temperature information about the storage compartment from a temperature sensor and generate a cooling control signal to control the operation of the cooling system based on the temperature information.

[0059] Additionally, the processor may process user input of the user interface and control the operation of the user interface based on programs and / or data stored / stored in the memory. The user interface may be provided using an input interface and an output interface. The processor may receive user input from the user interface. Additionally, the processor may transmit display control signals and image data to the user interface for displaying an image on the user interface in response to the user input.

[0060] The processor and memory may be provided as a single unit or separately. The processor may include one or more processors. For example, the processor may include a main processor and at least one subprocessor. The memory may include one or more memories.

[0061] In one embodiment, a refrigerator may include a processor and memory that control all components within the refrigerator, and may include multiple processors and multiple memories that individually control the components within the refrigerator. For example, the refrigerator may include a processor and memory that control the operation of a cooling device based on the output of a temperature sensor. Additionally, the refrigerator may separately include a processor and memory that control the operation of a user interface based on user input.

[0062] The communication module can communicate with external devices, such as servers, mobile devices, and other home appliances, via a nearby access point (AP). The AP can connect the local area network (LAN) to which the refrigerator or user device is connected to the wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The refrigerator or user device can then connect to the server via the WAN.

[0063] The input interface may include keys, a touchscreen, a microphone, etc. The input interface may receive user input and transmit it to the processor.

[0064] The output interface may include a display, a speaker, etc. The output interface may output various notifications, messages, information, etc. generated by the processor.

[0065] Hereinafter, a refrigerator (1) according to various embodiments will be specifically described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0066] Figures 1 and 2 are drawings illustrating a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator (1) may include a main body (10), a storage compartment (20) formed by being divided vertically inside the main body (10), a door (30) for opening and closing the storage compartment (20), a cold air supply device (not shown) for supplying cold air to the storage compartment (20), a drawer case (100) placed in the storage compartment (20), and a drawer (200) accommodated in the drawer case (100).

[0068] The main body (10) may include an inner case (11) forming a storage room (20), an outer case (12) bonded to the outside of the inner case (11) to form an exterior, and an insulating material foamed between the inner case (11) and the outer case (12) to insulate the storage room (20).

[0069] A machine room may be provided at the lower rear side of the main body (10) in which components of a heat pump including a compressor that compresses refrigerant and a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor are arranged.

[0070] *The cold air supply device may include a compressor installed in a machine room to compress a refrigerant, a condenser installed in the machine room to condense the refrigerant, an expansion valve installed in the machine room to expand the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, an evaporator installed at the rear of the storage room (20) to generate cold air, a fan to induce the cold air generated in the evaporator to be discharged into the storage room (20), and a cold air duct installed at the rear of the storage room (20) to discharge the cold air induced by the fan into the storage room (20). The evaporator, fan, and cold air duct arranged at the rear of the storage room (20) may be arranged at the rear of the refrigerator room (21) and the freezer room (22), respectively.

[0071] The storage room (20) may be divided into multiple sections by partitions. A plurality of shelves and storage containers may be provided inside the storage room (20) to store food, etc. The partitions may include various types of partitions that divide the interior horizontally or vertically. The divided storage room (20) illustrated in the drawing is merely an example, and each storage room (20) may be configured differently from that illustrated in the drawing.

[0072] The storage compartment (20) can be opened and closed by a door (30) that is rotatably coupled to the main body (10). The door (30) can include a refrigerator door (31) that is rotatably coupled to the main body (10) and opens and closes the refrigerator compartment (21), and a freezer door (32) that opens and closes the freezer compartment (22).

[0073] The refrigerator (21) can be opened and closed by a pair of refrigerator doors (31), and the freezer (22) can be opened and closed by a pair of freezer doors (32). Door baskets (31a, 32a) capable of storing food or containers may be provided on the back surfaces of the pair of refrigerator doors (31) and the pair of freezer doors (32), respectively.

[0074] FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating a drawer (200) and a drawer case (100) of a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a closed state of a drawer (200) inserted into a drawer case (100), and FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a state in which a drawer (200) is pulled out from a drawer case (100) and the components of the drawer (200) are disassembled.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drawer case (100) may include a case body (110) forming the exterior of the drawer case (100), a case rail (120) provided on the inner wall of the case body (110) to guide the drawer (200), a case rail roller (121) to facilitate movement of the drawer (200), and an automatic locking device (150) that can assist in closing the drawer (200) when it is closed.

[0076] The drawer (200) can move relative to the drawer case (100) through a first drawer position (P1) that is fully accommodated in the drawer case (100), a second drawer position (P2) that is fully open, and a third drawer position (P3) between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2).

[0077] A drawer (200) may include a drawer body (210) forming the exterior of the drawer (200), a moving rail (220) guiding the drawer (200) to move between a second drawer position (P2) and a third drawer position (P3), a moving rail roller (221) facilitating movement of the drawer (200), a fixed rail (230) guiding the drawer (200) to move between a first drawer position (P1) and a second drawer position (P2), and a fixed rail roller (231) facilitating movement of the drawer (200).

[0078] The case body (110) may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one side open. A drawer body (210) may be inserted into the case body (110), and a drawer front panel (211) may be mounted on the edge of the opening formed in the case body (110). The case body (110) may include components that can connect the drawer case (100) to the inner wall of the main body (10) on the outer surface of the case body (110).

[0079] The drawer case (100) can guide the movement of the drawer (200) on the inner surface of the case body (110) and can include a case rail (120) formed to protrude from the inner surface of the case body (110).

[0080] The case rail (120) may be formed to extend long along the inner surface of the case body (110) along the direction of movement of the drawer (200). A moving rail roller (221) and a fixed rail roller (231) may come into contact with the case rail (120).

[0081] The drawer case (100) may include a case rail roller (121) formed on the entrance side of the drawer case (100). The case rail roller (121) may come into contact with the fixed rail (230) when the drawer (200) moves inside the drawer case (100) and may rotate due to frictional force generated by the contact with the fixed rail (230). Due to the rotation of the case rail roller (121), the drawer (200) may move smoothly in the drawer case (100).

[0082] Depending on the user's actions, the drawer (200) may not be fully accommodated in the drawer case (100). To address this issue, the drawer case (100) may include an automatic locking device (150) coupled to the inner surface of the case body (110).

[0083] The automatic locking device (150) may include a tension spring. When the drawer (200) moves in the closing direction, the extended tension spring of the automatic locking device (150) may come into contact with a portion of the drawer (200) to move the drawer (200) closer to the first drawer position (P1).

[0084] The drawer body (210) may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one side open. Food or a container for storing food may be accommodated in the open portion of the drawer body (210). A drawer front panel (211) may be coupled to the front of the drawer body (210). The drawer front panel (211) may be formed to be larger than the opening formed in the drawer case (100).

[0085] The fixed rail (230) may be formed to protrude from the side of the drawer body (210). The fixed rail (230) may extend along the movement direction of the drawer (200). The fixed rail (230) may guide the drawer (200) by contacting the case rail roller (121) when the drawer (200) moves between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2).

[0086] The drawer (200) may include a fixed rail roller (231) coupled to an end side of a fixed rail (230). The fixed rail roller (231) may contact the case rail (120) when the drawer (200) moves inside the drawer case (100) and may rotate due to frictional force generated by the contact with the case rail (120). Due to the rotation of the fixed rail roller (231), the drawer (200) may move smoothly in the drawer case (100).

[0087] The movable rail (220) can be coupled to the side of the drawer body (210). Since both the fixed rail (230) and the movable rail (220) are connected to the drawer (200), the assemblability of the drawer (200) and the drawer case (100) can be improved. The movable rail (220) can be formed so that a portion of the movable rail (220) moves relative to the drawer body (210). Specifically, the movable rail (220) can include a rail fixing portion (222) coupled to the drawer body (210), and a rail moving portion (223) disposed between the drawer body (210) and the rail fixing portion (222) and capable of moving along the moving direction of the drawer (200).

[0088] The moving rail (220) may not move a portion of the moving rail (220) relative to the case rail (120) when the drawer is at the third drawer position (P3). The remaining portion of the moving rail (220), excluding the portion that does not move relative to the case rail (120), may move together with the drawer body (210) when the drawer (200) moves between the third drawer position (P3) and the second drawer position (P2). For example, when the drawer (200) moves from the third drawer position (P3) to the second drawer position (P2), the rail moving portion (223) may not move relative to the case rail (120), and the rail fixing portion (222) may move relative to the case rail (120).

[0089] The drawer (200) may include a movable rail roller (221) coupled to an end of a rail moving part (223). The movable rail roller (221) may contact the case rail (120) when the drawer (200) moves inside the drawer case (100) and may rotate due to frictional force generated by the contact with the case rail (120). Due to the rotation of the movable rail roller (221), the drawer (200) may move smoothly in the drawer case (100).

[0090] The rail moving part (223) may include a first hole (223a) and a second hole (223b) so that it can be coupled with the rail fixing part (222). A first coupling member (224) may pass through the first hole (223a), and a second coupling member may pass through the second hole (223b), so that the moving rail (220) may be coupled with the slurry body.

[0091] The first connecting member (224) can be connected to the drawer body (210) by passing through one end of the rail fixing member (222) and the first hole (223a), and the second connecting member (225) can be connected to the drawer body (210) by passing through the other end of the rail fixing member (222) and the second hole (223b).

[0092] The drawer (200) may include a guide rib (250) formed to extend in the same direction as the direction in which the moving rail (220) extends so that the moving rail (220) moves smoothly along the moving direction of the drawer (200). The guide rib (250) may prevent the moving rail (220) from sagging in the direction of gravity due to the weight of the drawer (200) when the drawer (200) is pulled out from the drawer case (100).

[0093] The guide rib (250) may include a first guide rib (251) arranged at the bottom of the moving rail (220) so that the moving rail (220) moves stably along the moving direction of the drawer (200), and a second guide rib (252) arranged at the top of the moving rail (220). The first guide rib (251) and the second guide rib (252) may be arranged to face each other.

[0094] In the drawing, the drawer body (210) is shown to include a fixed rail (230), a movable rail (220), a fixed rail roller (231), a movable rail roller (221), a guide rib (250), and a separation rib (260) on both sides, but for convenience, the description will be based on the configurations coupled to one side of the drawer body (210).

[0095] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer (200) and a drawer case (100) of a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment when the drawer (200) is in a first drawer position (P1) in a closed state, taken along line A-A' of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer (200) and a drawer case (100) of a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment when the drawer (200) is in a third drawer position (P3) in a partially open state, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a drawer (200) and a drawer case (100) of a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment when the drawer (200) is in a second drawer position (P2) in a fully open state.

[0096] Specifically, when the drawer (200) is withdrawn from the drawer case (100), it can move from the first drawer position (P1) to the third drawer position (P3) and then to the second drawer position (P2), and when the drawer (200) is inserted into the drawer case (100), it can move from the second drawer position (P2) to the third drawer position (P3) and then to the first drawer position (P1).

[0097] Referring to FIG. 5, when the drawer (200) is fully accommodated in the drawer case (100), the drawer body (210) can be accommodated inside the drawer case (100) when the drawer front panel (211) contacts the edge of the opening of the drawer case (100).

[0098] When the drawer (200) is quickly moved to the first drawer position (P1) by the automatic locking device (150), noise and vibration may occur due to the collision between the drawer body (210) and the drawer case (100). To prevent this, the drawer case (100) may include a deceleration rib (160) that can reduce the closing speed of the drawer (200).

[0099] When the drawer (200) is at the first drawer position (P1), the fixed rail roller (231) can be accommodated in a space formed between the case rail (120) and the deceleration rib (160). The distance between the deceleration rib (160) and the case rail (120) can be approximately equal to or smaller than the diameter of the fixed rail roller (231) so that the closing speed of the drawer (200) can be reduced. The fixed rail roller (231) can have its rotational speed reduced through friction between the deceleration rib (160) and the case rail (120).

[0100] Referring to FIG. 6, when a drawer (200) is pulled out from a first drawer position (P1), at least a portion of the drawer (200) may initially be caught on a drawer case (100) at a third drawer position (P3). Specifically, the drawer case (100) may include a case stopper (130) that protrudes from a case rail (120) in a direction toward a moving rail (220). When the drawer (200) is at the third drawer position (P3), the moving rail roller (221) may come into contact with the case stopper (130). The case stopper (130) is not limited to the shape shown in the drawing, and it is sufficient if it can stop the movement of the moving rail roller (221) at the third drawer position (P3) and protrudes to a possible extent when the drawer (200) is coupled to the drawer case (100).

[0101] When the drawer (200) is at the third drawer position (P3), the rail fixing member (222) may be positioned to correspond to the second hole (223b). If the withdrawal of the drawer (200) is stopped at the third drawer position (P3), access to the interior of the drawer (200) becomes difficult, and the user may feel inconvenienced when putting food or containers in or taking them out of the drawer (200).

[0102] Referring to FIG. 7, in order to solve this problem, i.e., to increase the withdrawal distance of the drawer (200) from the drawer case (100), the rail fixing part (222) is fixed to the drawer body (210) and can move to the second drawer position (P2) together with the drawer (200) with respect to the rail moving part (223).

[0103] At this time, the fixed rail (230) and the fixed rail roller (231) are also fixed to the drawer body (210) and can move together with the drawer body (210) to the second drawer position (P2). When the drawer (200) is at the second drawer position (P2), the rail moving part (223) can be arranged to correspond to the first hole (223a).

[0104] As the distance of withdrawal of the drawer (200) from the drawer case (100) increases, the drawer (200) may be detached from the drawer case (100) due to the weight of the drawer (200). To prevent this, the drawer (200) may include a detachment prevention stopper (240) provided to prevent the drawer (200) from being detached from the drawer case (100) at the second drawer position (P2). The detachment prevention stopper (240) may be formed to protrude from the fixed rail (230) in a direction toward the case rail (120).

[0105] When the drawer (200) approaches the second drawer position (P2), the drawer (200) can be stably stopped at the second drawer position (P2) as the anti-separation stopper (240) comes into contact with the case rail roller (121).

[0106] That is, the drawer (200) can be stably pulled out to the second drawer position (P2) without being detached from the drawer case (100) as the guide rib (250) guides the moving rail (220) and the detachment prevention stopper (240) is supported by the case rail roller (121).

[0107] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the appearance of a drawer (200) of a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment when assembled or disassembled.

[0108] The drawer (200) can be assembled or separated from the drawer case (100) while being inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the drawer case (100). Since all components that move with respect to the drawer case (100) are coupled to the drawer (200) and the drawer (200) is assembled or separated from the drawer case (100), the assembly efficiency is improved and the management of the drawer (200) or the drawer case (100) can be facilitated.

[0109]

[0110] *When assembling a drawer (200) into a drawer case (100), the drawer body (210) can be tilted in the direction of gravity based on the drawer front panel (211) and the fixed rail roller (231) can be supported on the case rail (120) by inserting the movable rail (220) into the space formed under the case rail (120) for assembly.

[0111] When separating a drawer (200) from a drawer case (100), the drawer front panel (211) is lifted while the drawer (200) is open, and the movable rail roller (221) is separated from the case stopper (130) while the fixed rail roller (231) is supported on the case rail (120), thereby separating the drawer (200) from the drawer case (100).

[0112] Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 6, and Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 7. Specifically, Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion where a moving rail roller (221) is caught by a case stopper (130), and Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion where a separation prevention stopper (240) is caught by a case rail roller (121).

[0113] The drawer (200) can be placed at the third drawer position (P3) as the moving rail roller (221) is caught by the case stopper (130). In the drawing, the moving rail roller (221) is shown as being caught by the case stopper (130), but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and the drawer (200) can be placed at the third drawer position (P3) in such a way that a part of the moving rail (220) is caught by the case stopper (130).

[0114] When the fixed rail roller (231) contacts the case rail (120), the drawer (200) can be smoothly introduced into or withdrawn from the drawer case (100) as the fixed rail roller (231) rotates. When the movable rail roller (221) also contacts the case rail (120), the drawer (200) can be smoothly introduced into or withdrawn from the drawer case (100) as the movable rail roller (221) rotates.

[0115] When the drawer (200) is withdrawn from the drawer case (100), the case stopper (130) can protrude sufficiently from the case rail (120) so that the moving rail roller (221) can be caught on the case stopper (130).

[0116] When the drawer (200) is at the second drawer position (P2), the anti-separation stopper (240) may be adjacent to the case rail roller (121) and the rail fixing portion (222) may be disposed at the end of the rail moving portion (223). In the drawing, the anti-separation stopper (240) is shown as being caught by the case rail roller (121), but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and the drawer (200) may be disposed at the second drawer position (P2) in such a manner that the fixing rail roller (231) is caught by the case rail roller (121).

[0117] Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 5. Specifically, Fig. 11 is a view showing a fixed rail roller (231) accommodated in a space between a case rail (120) and a reduction rib (160).

[0118] When the drawer (200) closes at a high speed due to the spring included in the automatic locking device (150), noise and vibration may occur due to the collision between the drawer body (210) and the drawer case (100). To prevent this, it is necessary to reduce the speed of the drawer (200) when the drawer (200) approaches the first drawer position (P1).

[0119] To reduce the speed of the drawer (200) when the drawer (200) approaches the first drawer position (P1), the drawer case (100) may include a deceleration rib (160). The deceleration rib (160) may be positioned at the top of the case rail (120). The deceleration rib (160) may form a space with the case rail (120) to accommodate the fixed rail roller (231).

[0120] As the fixed rail roller (231) approaches the first drawer position (P1), the rotational speed of the fixed rail roller (231) can be rapidly reduced due to friction generated by contact with at least one of the deceleration rib (160) and the case rail (120). In other words, the fixed rail roller can act as a buffer to prevent noise and vibration generated when the drawer (200) is accommodated in the drawer case (100).

[0121] In order for the fixed rail roller (231) to effectively contact at least one of the deceleration rib (160) and the case rail (120) to generate friction, the distance between the deceleration rib (160) and the case rail (120) may be approximately equal to or smaller than the diameter of the fixed rail roller (231).

[0122] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' of Fig. 3, and Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 12.

[0123] As a part of the moving rail (220) moves relative to the drawer body (210), vibration or noise may occur, such as when the moving rail (220) gets closer to the drawer body (210). Therefore, the drawer (200) may include a separation rib (260) protruding from the drawer body (210) so that the drawer body (210) and the moving rail (220) can maintain an appropriate distance.

[0124] The separation rib (260) can extend along the movement direction of the drawer (200). The separation rib (260) can be placed between the first guide rib (251) and the second guide rib (252) and between the drawer body (210) and the rail moving part (223).

[0125] When the end of the separation rib (260) comes into contact with the rail moving part (223), noise or vibration that causes discomfort to the user may be generated. Therefore, the end of the separation rib (260) may be formed in a round shape.

[0126] As the movable rail (220) moves relative to the drawer case (100), the drawer (200) may shake left and right inside the drawer case (100), which may cause discomfort to the user. Therefore, the drawer case (100) may include an anti-vibration rib (140) that protrudes from the inner surface of the case body (110) and is positioned between the rail fixing portion (222) and the inner surface of the drawer case (100) to prevent the drawer (200) from shaking.

[0127] When the end of the anti-vibration rib (140) comes into contact with the rail fixing member (222), noise or vibration that is uncomfortable to the user may be generated. Therefore, the end of the anti-vibration rib (140) may be formed in a round shape.

[0128] A refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment includes a main body (10) having a storage compartment (20), a drawer case (100) provided in the storage compartment (20), the drawer case (100) including a case body (110) forming an exterior of the drawer case (100) and a case rail (120) provided on an inner wall of the case body (110), and a drawer (200) provided to be slidably moved along the case rail (120) between a first drawer position (P1) introduced into the drawer case (100) and a second drawer position (P2) withdrawn from the first drawer position (P1) with respect to the drawer case (100), wherein the drawer (200) includes a drawer body (210) forming an exterior of the drawer (200), and a drawer position (P3) between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2) and a third drawer position (P3) between the second drawer position (P2) and the first drawer position (P1). The drawer case (100) further includes a case stopper (130) that is provided to protrude from the case rail (120) toward the moving rail (220) so that a part of the drawer (200) is fixed to the case rail (120) when the drawer (200) moves from the third drawer position (P3) to the second drawer position (P2). According to the present disclosure, assembly and disassembly of the drawer (200) and the drawer case (100) are convenient, so that the assembling efficiency of the drawer (200) can be improved.

[0129] The drawer (200) further includes a movable rail roller (221) that can come into contact with one side of the case rail (120), and the movable rail roller (221) can be arranged to come into contact with the case stopper (130) when the drawer (200) is at the third drawer position (P3).

[0130] The drawer (200) may further include a fixed rail (230) that is provided to be connected to the drawer body (210) to guide the drawer (200) between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2), and a fixed rail roller (231) that can come into contact with the other side of the case rail (120).

[0131] The above drawer case (100) may further include a case rail roller (121) that can come into contact with one side of the fixed rail (230).

[0132] The drawer (200) further includes a separation prevention stopper (240) that protrudes from the fixed rail (230) toward the case rail (120) to prevent the drawer (200) from being separated from the drawer case (100) at the second drawer position (P2), and the case rail roller (121) may be arranged to come into contact with the separation prevention stopper (240) when the drawer (200) is at the second drawer position (P2).

[0133] The above-described moving rail (220) may include a rail fixing part (222) coupled to the drawer body (210), and a rail moving part (223) disposed between the drawer body (210) and the fixing part and arranged to move with respect to the drawer body (210), and to which the moving rail roller (221) is coupled. According to the present disclosure, the withdrawal distance of the drawer (200) from the drawer case (100) may be increased, thereby improving user convenience.

[0134] The above drawer (200) may further include a guide rib (250) that protrudes from one surface of the drawer body (210) and extends along the movement direction of the rail moving part (223).

[0135] The above guide rib (250) includes a first guide rib (251) and a second guide rib (252) that are arranged to face each other, and the moving rail (220) can be arranged to be placed between the first guide rib (251) and the second guide rib (252).

[0136] The drawer (200) may further include a separation rib (260) protruding from one surface of the drawer body (210) and positioned between the rail moving part (223) and the drawer body (210) to prevent the distance between the drawer body (210) and the rail moving part (223) from becoming closer than a predetermined distance.

[0137] The drawer case (100) may further include an anti-vibration rib (140) protruding from the inner surface of the case body (110) and positioned between the rail fixing part (222) and the inner surface of the drawer case (100) to reduce shaking of the drawer (200) when the drawer (200) is inserted or pulled out from the drawer case (100).

[0138] The rail moving part (223) includes a first hole (223a) and a second hole (223b), and the rail fixing part (222) can be coupled to the drawer body (210) through a first coupling member (224) so ​​that one end of the rail fixing part (222) corresponds to the first hole (223a), and the other end of the rail fixing part (222) can be coupled to the drawer body (210) through a second coupling member (225) so that the other end corresponds to the second hole (223b).

[0139] The drawer case (100) may further include an automatic locking device (150) including a tension spring that allows the drawer (200) to close quickly at a predetermined position when the drawer (200) moves from the third drawer position (P3) to the first drawer position (P1), and a deceleration rib (160) provided on the other side of the case rail (120) to be in contact with the fixed rail roller (231) so as to reduce the speed in a predetermined section approaching the first drawer position (P1) when the drawer (200) is closed by the automatic locking device (150).

[0140] The distance between the case rail (120) and the deceleration rib (160) may be equal to or smaller than the diameter of the fixed rail roller (231).

[0141] A refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment comprises a main body (10) having a storage compartment (20), a door (30) provided to open and close the storage compartment (20), a drawer case (100) provided in the storage compartment (20), the drawer case (100) including a case body (110) forming an exterior of the drawer case (100) and a case rail (120) provided on an inner wall of the case body (110), and a drawer (200) provided to be able to slide along the case rail (120) between a first drawer position (P1) introduced into the drawer case (100) and a second drawer position (P2) withdrawn from the first drawer position (P1) with respect to the drawer case (100), wherein the drawer (200) is a drawer body (210) forming an exterior of the drawer (200), and a third drawer positioned between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2) A drawer case (100) includes a drawer body (210) provided to be hooked with at least a part of the drawer case (100) at a position (P3), a fixed rail (230) provided to be connected to the drawer body (210) to guide the drawer (200) between the first drawer position (P1) and the second drawer position (P2), a moving rail (220) coupled to the drawer body (210) to guide the drawer body (210) between the third drawer position (P3) and the second drawer position (P2), and a separation prevention stopper (240) protruding from the fixed rail (230) toward the case rail (120) to prevent the drawer (200) from being separated from the drawer case (100) at the second drawer position (P2), wherein the drawer case (100) is provided such that when the drawer (200) moves from the third drawer position (P3) to the second drawer position (P2), It further includes a case stopper (130) that is arranged to protrude from the case rail (120) toward the moving rail (220) so that a part of the drawer (200) is fixed to the case rail (120).According to the present disclosure, a refrigerator according to one embodiment can provide a refrigerator (1) including a drawer (200) that improves user convenience by increasing the withdrawal distance of the drawer (200) from the drawer case (100).

[0142] The drawer (200) further includes a movable rail roller (221) that can come into contact with one side of the case rail (120) and is arranged to come into contact with the case stopper (130) when the drawer (200) is at the third drawer position (P3), and a fixed rail roller (231) that can come into contact with the other side of the case rail (120), and the drawer case (100) may further include a case rail roller (121) that can come into contact with one side of the fixed rail (230).

[0143] The above moving rail (220) includes a rail fixing part (222) coupled to the drawer body (210), and a rail moving part (223) arranged between the drawer body (210) and the fixing part and arranged to move with respect to the drawer body (210), to which the moving rail roller (221) is coupled, and the drawer (200) may further include a guide rib (250) protruding from one surface of the drawer body (210) and arranged to extend along the moving direction of the rail moving part (223).

[0144] The rail moving part (223) includes a first hole (223a) and a second hole (223b), and the rail fixing part (222) can be coupled to the drawer body (210) through a first coupling member (224) so ​​that one end of the rail fixing part (222) corresponds to the first hole (223a), and the other end of the rail fixing part (222) can be coupled to the drawer body (210) through a second coupling member (225) so that the other end corresponds to the second hole (223b).

[0145] The drawer (200) further includes a first guide rib (251) that protrudes from one surface of the drawer body (210) and extends along the moving direction of the rail moving part (223), and a second guide rib (252) that protrudes from one surface of the drawer body (210) and extends along the moving direction of the rail moving part (223) and is provided to face the first guide rib (251), and the moving rail (220) may be provided to be arranged between the first guide rib (251) and the second guide rib (252).

[0146] The drawer case (100) further includes an automatic locking device (150) including a tension spring for quickly closing the drawer (200) at a predetermined position when the drawer (200) moves from the third drawer position (P3) to the first drawer position (P1), and a deceleration rib (160) provided on the other side of the case rail (120) to be in contact with the fixed rail roller (231) so as to reduce the speed in a predetermined section approaching the first drawer position (P1) when the drawer (200) is closed by the automatic locking device (150), and a distance between the case rail (120) and the deceleration rib (160) may be equal to or smaller than the size of the diameter of the fixed rail roller (231).

[0147] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0148] The above illustrates and describes specific embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below.

Claims

1. A body having a storage room; A drawer case provided in the storage room, comprising a case body forming the exterior of the drawer case and a case rail provided on the inner wall of the case body; and A drawer provided to be slidably moved along the case rail between a first drawer position introduced into the drawer case and a second drawer position withdrawn from the first drawer position for the drawer case; The above drawer, A drawer body forming the exterior of the above drawer, A moving rail coupled to the drawer body to guide movement of the drawer body between the first drawer position and the second drawer position and between the third drawer position and the second drawer position, The above drawer case, A refrigerator further comprising a case stopper provided to protrude from the case rail toward the moving rail so that a portion of the drawer is fixed to the case rail when the drawer moves from the third drawer position to the second drawer position.

2. In paragraph 1, The above drawer further includes a movable rail roller that can contact one side of the case rail, A refrigerator wherein the above moving rail roller is arranged to contact the case stopper when the drawer is in the third drawer position.

3. In paragraph 2, The above drawer, A fixed rail provided to be connected to the drawer body to guide the drawer between the first drawer position and the second drawer position; A refrigerator further comprising a fixed rail roller that can come into contact with the other side of the case rail.

4. In paragraph 3, The above drawer case, A refrigerator further comprising a case rail roller that can come into contact with one side of the fixed rail.

5. In paragraph 4, The drawer further includes a disengagement prevention stopper protruding from the fixed rail toward the case rail to prevent the drawer from being disengaged from the drawer case at the second drawer position, A refrigerator wherein the case rail roller is arranged to contact the anti-separation stopper when the drawer is in the second drawer position.

6. In paragraph 2, The above moving rail is, A rail fixing part that is connected to the above drawer body, A refrigerator comprising a rail moving part arranged between the drawer body and the fixed part and arranged to move with respect to the drawer body, and to which the moving rail roller is coupled.

7. In paragraph 6, A refrigerator wherein the drawer further includes a guide rib protruding from one side of the drawer body and extending along the direction of movement of the rail moving part.

8. In paragraph 7, The above guide rib includes a first guide rib and a second guide rib that are arranged to face each other, A refrigerator in which the above moving rail is arranged between the first guide rib and the second guide rib.

9. In paragraph 8, The above drawer, A refrigerator further comprising a spacing rib protruding from one surface of the drawer body and positioned between the rail moving part and the drawer body to prevent the distance between the drawer body and the rail moving part from becoming closer than a predetermined distance.

10. In paragraph 6, The above drawer case, A refrigerator further comprising an anti-vibration rib protruding from the inner surface of the case body and positioned between the rail fixing portion and the inner surface of the drawer case to reduce shaking of the drawer when the drawer is inserted or pulled out from the drawer case.

11. In paragraph 6, The above rail moving part, Including the first and second holes, The above rail fixing part, A refrigerator in which one end of the rail fixing part is coupled to the drawer body through a first coupling member so as to correspond to the first hole, and the other end of the rail fixing part is coupled to the drawer body through a second coupling member so as to correspond to the second hole.

12. In paragraph 3, The above drawer case, An automatic locking device including a tension spring that allows the drawer to close quickly at a predetermined position when the drawer moves from the third drawer position to the first drawer position; A refrigerator further comprising a deceleration rib provided on the other side of the case rail so as to be in contact with the fixed rail roller to reduce the speed in a predetermined section approaching the first drawer position when the drawer is closed by the automatic locking device.

13. In paragraph 12, A refrigerator in which the distance between the case rail and the reduction rib is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the fixed rail roller.

Images