Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180279-B2
Application number	US-201615550541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator comprises: a cabinet including a storage chamber which has an opening formed on the front side thereof; a door pivotally connected to the cabinet so as to open and close the opening; a drawer disposed inside the storage chamber so as to receive stored goods; a drawer guide for supporting the drawer, and guiding the drawer such that the drawer can be moved forward and backward; a base part disposed below the drawer; a withdrawal mechanism including a rear frame which extends rearward of the drawer from the base part so as to push the drawer forward when the base part is moved forward; a link having a front end connected to the door at a point, which is positioned at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of the door with respect to the cabinet, so as to form a first rotary joint, and having a rear end connected to the base part so as to form a second rotary joint; and a pair of withdrawal mechanism guides disposed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage compartment therein, the storage compartment being provided in a front surface thereof with an opening;
a door hinged to the cabinet for opening and closing at least a portion of the opening;
a drawer disposed in the storage compartment for storing goods;
a drawer guide for supporting the drawer and guiding the drawer so as to be movable in a forward-rearward direction;
a withdrawal mechanism comprising a base part disposed at a lower side of the drawer and a rear frame extending from the base part toward a rear of the drawer for pushing the drawer forward when the base part is moved forward;
a link having a front end connected to the door at a position spaced apart from a turning axis of the door with respect to the cabinet by a predetermined distance so as to constitute a first turning joint and a rear end connected to the base part so as to constitute a second turning joint; and
a pair of withdrawal mechanism guides disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the storage compartment for guiding the base part so as to be movable in the forward-rearward direction,
wherein the first turning joint and the second turning joint are opposite each other about a reference line located substantially equidistant from the withdrawal mechanism guides, and
wherein the link is configured to maintain a constant distance between the first turning joint and the second turning joint during a rotation of the door.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second turning joint is closer to the withdrawal mechanism guides than to the reference line.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second turning joint is configured to be allowed to move relative to the base part in the forward-rearward direction.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein
the base part comprises a slit extending between the reference line and the withdrawal mechanism guides in the forward-rearward direction, and
the rear end of the link is configured to be movable along the slit.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the rear end of the link is spaced apart from a front end of the slit in a state in which the door is closed, and reaches the front end of the slit when the door is turned to a predetermined withdrawal start angle in the state in which the door is closed.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the withdrawal start angle is 70 to 80 degrees.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the link comprises:
a first bent section extending from the front end and bent convexly in a direction away from the turning axis of the door with respect to the cabinet; and
a second bent section located between the first bent section and the rear end and bent convexly in a direction opposite the first bent section.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the first bent section and the second bent section are convex in opposite directions with respect to a straight line connecting the front end and the rear end.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first turning joint and the second turning joint is longer than a distance between the cabinet and the turning axis of the door.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the withdrawal mechanism guides are disposed between the base part and side surfaces of the storage compartment.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rear end of the link is connected to a bottom surface of the base part.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yang Changwoan
• Choi Seungjin
• Kim Hanhyo
• Park Yoomin

Classifications

• A47B88/493

  with rollers, ball bearings, wheels, or the like · CPC title

• F25D2323/024

  Door hinges · CPC title

• A47B96/16

  Drawers or movable shelves coupled to doors · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title