CN110686444A

CN110686444A - Drawer type refrigerator

Info

Publication number: CN110686444A
Application number: CN201811502908.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 池映杰
Original assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: WiniaDaewoo Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-07-05
Filing date: 2018-12-10
Publication date: 2020-01-14
Also published as: KR20200005120A; US20200011593A1

Abstract

A drawer type refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator main body having an opened front surface; a plurality of sliding doors configured to open and close a front face of the refrigerator main body and to be drawn out from the refrigerator main body; and a guide rail providing a moving path in which the sliding door is pulled out from the refrigerator main body, wherein the sliding door has a plurality of shelves spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the sliding door and configured to store articles.

Description

Drawer type refrigerator

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application is based on and claims priority from korean patent application No.10-2018-0078400, filed on 5.7.2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a drawer type refrigerator appliance.

Background

Generally, a refrigerator is an appliance, and may include two or more storage chambers divided vertically or horizontally. One of the storage compartments may be used as a freezing compartment for freezing food in an interior environment maintained at a temperature of about-7 ℃ or less. The other storage compartment may be used as a refrigeration compartment for refrigerating food in an interior environment maintained at a temperature of about-4 ℃ to 2 ℃.

Refrigerator appliances may have various storage shelves and drawers for storing food items. The interior spaces of the storage shelf and the drawer are maintained at a low temperature by the coolant. Further, the refrigerator appliance may have a freezing chamber door and a refrigerating chamber door (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "refrigerator doors") for selectively sealing the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, and each door is used to put in and take out food and to prevent cold air in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber from flowing out.

The conventional refrigerator appliance has a structure in which the refrigerator door rotates about a hinge shaft (hinge structure). Accordingly, the refrigerator can be opened and closed by opening and closing the refrigerator door.

However, in the conventional refrigerator having the above-described hinged door, the storage chamber of the refrigerator may be expanded backward to increase the storage capacity of the refrigerator. Therefore, it is often necessary to first remove the items stored near the door in order to then remove the items stored at the rear of the storage compartment, and it is difficult to check the types of the items stored at the rear of the storage compartment because they are generally not easily accessible/accessible.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure provides a drawer type refrigerator appliance that allows articles stored in the rear of a refrigerating chamber to be easily and simply taken out from the side without moving the articles stored in the front of the refrigerating chamber.

A drawer type refrigerator according to comprising: a refrigerator main body having an opened front surface; a plurality of sliding doors configured to open and close a front face of the refrigerator main body and operable to be pulled out from the refrigerator main body; and a guide rail providing a moving path or a displacement path of the sliding door pulled out from the refrigerator main body, wherein the sliding door has a plurality of shelves spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the sliding door and configured to store articles.

The drawer type refrigerator may further include: a wheel provided at a lower portion of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors and configured to support a load of the sliding door.

The guide rail may include: a fixing rail fixed to both sides of the refrigerator main body in a direction in which the sliding door is pulled out; and a moving rail slidably coupled to the fixed rail to move along the fixed rail and connected to the sliding door to move together with the sliding door.

The moving rails may be provided at both sides of the shelf to support the shelf.

The guide rail may further include a guide roller rotatably disposed on a moving path of the moving rail. The movement path may also be referred to as a displacement path.

The drawer type refrigerator may further include: an operation switch provided at one side of the sliding door and configured to generate a driving signal in response to a user interaction therewith; a door driving unit configured to apply an external force to the moving rail to move the sliding door; and a control unit configured to control the door driving unit by a driving signal received from the operation switch and/or the foot sensor.

The door driving unit may include: a rack formed at one side of the moving rail; and a pinion gear rotatably provided at one side of the refrigerator main body, engaged with the rack gear, and driven by the control unit.

The drawer type refrigerator may further include: a foot sensor disposed at a lower end of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors, and configured to detect a user's foot and transmit a driving signal of the control unit when the user's foot is detected.

An advantage of the drawer type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is that articles stored in the rear of the refrigerating chamber can be easily and simply taken out from the side of the sliding door without moving the articles stored in the front of the refrigerating chamber.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a drawer type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing a state where the sliding door is pulled out from the state shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship for automatically pulling out the sliding door from the drawer type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the sliding door is pulled out from the state illustrated in fig. 1.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is one of the various patentable aspects of the disclosure and may form part of the detailed description of the invention.

However, in describing the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of known configurations or functions, which may obscure the present disclosure, may be omitted.

The present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments. Specific embodiments will be shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail in the detailed description of the embodiments. It should be understood, however, that they are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments, but rather, to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

As used herein, the terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe and not limit various components. These terms merely distinguish one element from another.

When referring to one member being "connected" or "coupled" to another member, it is to be understood that the former member may be directly connected or coupled to the latter member, or a third member may be interposed between the two members. On the other hand, when it is referred to that one member is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another member, it is understood that a third member is not interposed between the two members.

The specific terminology used in the present application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, expressions used in the singular include expressions in the plural. In this specification, it will be understood that terms such as "comprising," "including," "having," or the like, are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, actions, elements, components, or groups thereof, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, integers, steps, action elements, components, or groups thereof may be present or added.

Hereinafter, a drawer type refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, a drawer type refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a refrigerator main body 100, a sliding door 200, and a guide rail 300.

Embodiments of the present disclosure need not include only the above-described components. Embodiments of the present disclosure substantially include the embodiments described above, and may also include other configurations (e.g., techniques well known in the refrigerator art). However, detailed descriptions of known configurations or functions, which may obscure the elements of the present disclosure, may be omitted.

The refrigerator main body 100 forming the overall or general appearance of the refrigerator 10 may have a predetermined receiving space therein. The entire portion of the refrigerator main body 100 is closed except for the front surface to maintain the temperature therein at a low level. Only the front surface of the refrigerator main body 100 is opened so that items such as food can be put into and taken out of the receiving space of the refrigerator main body 100.

The sliding door 200 is provided on the front surface of the refrigerator main body 100, and can selectively open and close an opening formed on the front surface of the refrigerator main body 100 as necessary. One or more sliding doors 200 may be provided to be drawn out of or inserted into the refrigerator main body 100.

In other words, one sliding door 200 may be provided at the refrigerator main body 100 to open the entire front surface of the refrigerator main body 100, or two or more sliding doors 200 may be provided to partially open the front surface of the refrigerator main body 100.

Further, the sliding door 200 may be divided into upper and lower portions of the refrigerator main body 100, or may be divided into right and left portions according to the user's desire.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 1, the sliding door 200 is divided into upper and lower portions to partially open and close the opening of the refrigerator main body 100. However, the sliding door 200 is not necessarily divided into the upper and lower portions, and may be divided into the right and left portions, or may be divided into four portions in the longitudinal and lateral directions.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the sliding door 200 may have a plurality of shelves 210 to store items such as food. The shelves 210 may be spaced apart from each other with a suitable gap in the height direction of the sliding door 200. The side surface of the shelf 210 is opened such that in a state where the sliding door 200 is pulled out (opened) from the refrigerator main body 100, items to be stored can be put into the shelf 210 and stored items can be taken out from the side of the sliding door 200.

The height of the shelves 210 or the gap between the shelves 210 may be appropriately adjusted on the sliding door 200 according to the size of the items to be stored.

The guide rail 300 may guide a moving path ("displacement path") of the sliding door 200 such that the sliding door 200 can be inserted into and pulled out of the refrigerator main body 100 along a preset path without being completely separated from the refrigerator main body 100.

The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a wheel 400 for supporting a load of the sliding door 200 in a state where the sliding door 200 is pulled out as shown in fig. 3 to store food in the refrigerator or take food (specifically, the sliding door 200) out of the refrigerator (specifically, the sliding door 200).

When two or more sliding doors 200 are provided as described above, a wheel 400 is rotatably provided at a lower portion of the lowermost sliding door 200 to support a load of the sliding door 200 pulled out from the refrigerator main body 100.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the items in the refrigerator are not stored in the refrigerator main body 100, but stored in the rack 210 provided at the sliding door 200. Therefore, the weight of the items such as food and the load of the sliding door 200 are applied to the sliding door 200. Therefore, when the sliding door 200 is pulled out, the sliding door 200 may droop. In this case, the wheels 400 can prevent the sagging of the door and reduce the burden of the guide rail 300 by supporting the load of the sliding door 200.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the guide 300 may include a fixed rail 310 and a moving rail 320.

The fixing rails 310 may be provided at both side surfaces of the refrigerator main body 100 to extend in a direction in which the sliding door 200 is pulled out, so that the sliding door 200 can move along a preset moving path. The fixing rail 310 may be fixed to the refrigerator main body 100.

The moving rail 320 is connected to the sliding door 200 and moves together with the sliding door 200. The moving rail 320 is slidably coupled to the fixed rail 310 and may move along the fixed rail 310.

In other words, the moving rail 320 is installed on the sliding door 200 and moves together with the sliding door 200, and the fixed rail 310 is fixed to the refrigerator main body 100. When the sliding door 200 is pulled out, the moving rail 320 (insert-fitted to the fixed rail 310) is guided along the fixed rail 310, and thus, the sliding door 200 can move along the same path.

The moving rail 320 may be provided at both sides of the rack 210 to support the rack 210 provided at the sliding door 200.

In other words, the rack 210 is located on the moving rail 320, and therefore, the moving rail 320 can stably support the load of the rack 210. Accordingly, the moving rail 320 may perform a function of guiding the moving rack and supporting the load of the rack 210 when the sliding door 200 is opened and closed.

The guide 300 may further include a guide roller 330 rotatably disposed on the path of the moving rail 320. Due to the presence of the guide roller 330, the moving rail 320 can be smoothly moved, wherein frictional noise caused by the movement is reduced.

As shown in fig. 4, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include an operation switch 500, a door driving unit 600, and a control unit 700.

As shown in fig. 1 and 5, the operation switch 500 is provided at one side of the sliding door 200. When the user presses or touches the operation switch 500, an electric signal is generated.

The operation switch 500 may be provided at one side of the front surface of the sliding door 200 for easier recognition and manipulation. The operation switch 500 may be configured in various forms. For example, a button-type operation switch may be employed.

The door driving unit 600 applies an external force to the moving rail 320 so that the sliding door 200 can be automatically moved when necessary without a user directly applying an external force to the sliding door 200 to open and close the refrigerator. The sliding door 200 may be opened or closed due to an external force applied to the moving rail 320 by the door driving unit 600.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the door driving unit 600 may include a rack 610 and a pinion 620.

The rack 610 may be formed at one side of the moving rail 320. Specifically, the rack 610 may extend on the lower surface of the moving rail 320 along the longitudinal direction of the moving rail 320.

The pinion 620 may be rotatably formed on a path of the moving rail 320 at one side of the refrigerator main body 100. The pinion 620 is engaged with the rack 610 and driven by a control signal received from the control unit 700.

Accordingly, when a control signal is output from the control unit 700, the pinion 620 rotates and transmits a rotational force to the rack 610. Accordingly, the moving rail 320 moves and the sliding door 200 may be automatically opened or closed.

The door driving unit 600 including the rack 610 and the pinion 620 may be disposed on all the moving rails 320. However, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the door driving unit 600 may be disposed on one or more moving rails 320. For example, when the door driving unit 600 is provided on any one of the moving rails 320, it is preferable that the door driving unit 600 is provided on the moving rail 320 disposed at a middle portion in the height direction so as to effectively open and close the sliding door 200.

The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a foot sensor 800, the foot sensor 800 allowing a user whose hands are filled with articles to be stored to open and close the sliding door 200 by a foot operation without manipulating the operation switch 500.

The foot sensor 800 is disposed at the lower end of the lowermost sliding door 200 among the plurality of sliding doors 200. The foot sensor 800 may sense the user's foot or the motion of the user's foot and transmit a predetermined detection signal to the control unit 700.

When receiving the signal from the foot sensor 800, the control unit 700 transmits a control signal to the door driving unit 600 to automatically open and close the sliding door 200. accordingly, the user can open and close the sliding door 200 by a foot operation when there may be difficulty in using the hand.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and these changes or modifications fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A drawer type refrigerator comprising:

a refrigerator main body having an opened front surface;

a plurality of sliding doors configured to open and close a front surface of the refrigerator main body, wherein the plurality of sliding doors are configured to be pulled out from the refrigerator main body; and

a guide rail providing a displacement path of one of a plurality of sliding doors pulled out from the refrigerator main body,

wherein the sliding door includes a plurality of shelves configured to store items and spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the sliding door.

2. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a wheel rotatably provided at a lower portion of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors, wherein the wheel is configured to support a load of the sliding door.

3. The drawer-type refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the guide rail comprises:

a fixing rail fixed to both sides of the refrigerator main body in a direction in which the sliding door is pulled out; and

a moving rail slidably coupled to the fixed rail and configured to move along the fixed rail and connect to the sliding door to move with the sliding door.

4. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the moving rail is provided at both sides of the plurality of shelves to support the plurality of shelves.

5. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the guide rail further comprises a guide roller rotatably provided on a displacement path of the moving guide rail.

6. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 3, further comprising:

an operating switch disposed at one side of the sliding door and operable to generate a drive signal in response to a user interaction therewith;

a door driving unit configured to apply an external force to the moving rail to move the sliding door; and

a control unit configured to control the gate driving unit by the received driving signal.

7. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the door driving unit comprises:

a rack formed at one side of the moving rail; and

a pinion gear rotatably provided at one side of the refrigerator main body, wherein the pinion gear is engaged with the rack gear and driven by the control unit.

8. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 6, further comprising:

a foot sensor disposed at a lower end of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors, and configured to detect a foot of a user and transmit a driving signal to the control unit in response thereto.

9. A drawer type refrigerator comprising:

a body having an open front face;

a plurality of sliding doors configured to open and close a front face of the refrigerator main body, wherein the plurality of sliding doors are configured to be pulled out and pushed in from the main body in operation; and

a plurality of guide rails providing a displacement path of the plurality of sliding doors during operation,

wherein each respective sliding door of the plurality of sliding doors includes a plurality of shelves configured to store items and spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the respective sliding door.

10. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 9, further comprising: a wheel rotatably provided at a lower portion of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors, and wherein the wheel is configured to support a load of the sliding door.

11. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the respective rail of the plurality of rails comprises:

fixed rails fixed to both sides of the main body in a direction in which the corresponding sliding door is pulled out; and

a moving track slidably coupled to the fixed track and configured to move along the fixed track and connect to the respective sliding door to move therewith.

12. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the moving rail is provided at both sides of the plurality of shelves to support the plurality of shelves.

13. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the respective guide rails further comprise guide rollers rotatably provided on a displacement path of the moving guide rail.

14. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising:

an operating switch disposed at one side of the respective sliding door and operable to generate a drive signal in response to user interaction therewith;

a door driving unit configured to apply an external force to the moving rail to move the corresponding sliding door; and

15. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the door driving unit comprises:

a rack formed at one side of the moving rail; and

a pinion gear rotatably provided at one side of the body, wherein the pinion gear is engaged with the rack gear and driven by the control unit.

16. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 6, further comprising:

17. A drawer type refrigerator comprising:

a body having an open front face;

a plurality of sliding doors configured to open and close a front face of the refrigerator main body, wherein the plurality of sliding doors are configured to be pulled out and pushed in from the main body in operation;

wherein each respective sliding door of the plurality of sliding doors comprises a plurality of shelves configured to store items and spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the respective sliding door; and

a sliding door opener operable to facilitate opening of the plurality of sliding doors in response to user interaction.

18. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising: a wheel rotatably disposed at a lower portion of a lowermost sliding door among the plurality of sliding doors, and wherein the wheel is configured to support a load of the sliding door, wherein a corresponding rail of the plurality of rails includes:

a fixing rail fixed to both sides of the main body in a direction in which the corresponding sliding door is pulled out; and

a moving track slidably coupled to the fixed track and configured to move along the fixed track and connected to the respective sliding door to move therewith.

19. The drawer-type refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the sliding door opener further comprises:

an operating switch disposed at one side of the respective sliding door and operable to generate a drive signal in response to a user interaction therewith;

a door driving unit configured to apply an external force to the moving rail to move the corresponding sliding door;

a control unit configured to control the gate driving unit by the received driving signal; and

20. The drawer type refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the door driving unit comprises:

a rack formed at one side of the moving rail; and