Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240860-B2
Application number	US-201615065647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A refrigerator may include a cabinet configured to form a storage compartment; and a drawer provided inside the storage compartment to be withdrawn, wherein the drawer includes a drawer body which forms a storage space; and a divider which is movably installed at the drawer body, and divides the storage space into a first space to which cooling air is supplied and a second space which is indirectly cooled by the cooling air, and the first space and the second space are controlled at different temperatures from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that forms a storage compartment; and
a drawer provided inside the storage compartment and configured to be withdrawn, wherein the drawer includes:
a drawer body forming a storage space;
a divider movably installed at the drawer body that divides the storage space into a first space to which cooling air is supplied and a second space which is indirectly cooled by the cooling air, wherein the first space and the second space are controlled at different temperatures from each other;
a lever provided at the divider;
a first rack provided at a front surface of the drawer;
a second rack provided at a rear surface of the drawer;
a pinion that is provided at the divider and is interlocked with the first rack or the second rack, the pinion including first and second pinions; and
a brake bar configured to move by operation of the lever, wherein the brake bar includes a front portion configured to be inserted between the first and second pinions to prevent rotation of the first and second pinions.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the divider includes a plurality of supports which divide and seal the first space and the second space, wherein the plurality of supports includes:
a front surface support which contacts a front surface of the drawer;
a rear surface support which contacts a rear surface of the drawer; and
a lower surface support which contacts a lower surface of the drawer.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the divider further includes:
a lever; and
a link assembly which enables the plurality of supports to be spaced apart from the drawer by an operation of the lever.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the link assembly includes:
a first link coupled to the lever; and
a second link coupled to the first link that enables the rear surface support to be spaced apart from the rear surface of the drawer according to movement of the first link.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the link assembly includes:
a third link provided to be pressed by the first link and to be rotatable, wherein the third link enables the front surface support to be spaced apart from the front surface of the drawer according to movement of the first link.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the link assembly includes a fourth link provided to be pressed by the first link and to be rotatable, wherein the fourth link enables the lower surface support to be spaced apart from the lower surface of the drawer according to movement of the first link.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the divider includes:
a first guide rack coupled to the first link;
a guide pinion interlocked with the first guide rack; and
a second guide rack interlocked with the guide pinion.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the brake bar is coupled to the second guide rack.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , further including a plurality of springs coupled to the link assembly, wherein the plurality of springs includes a tension spring which returns the link assembly to an original position when the operation of the lever is stopped.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , further including a plurality of springs coupled to the link assembly, wherein the plurality of springs includes a compression spring which returns the link assembly to the original position when the operation of the lever is stopped.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further including a sealing member installed at an outer surface of each of the plurality of supports of the divider, and seals the first and second spaces.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment includes a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment which are divided by a partition part, and the drawer is installed inside the refrigerator compartment.

13. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that forms a storage compartment; and
a drawer provided inside the storage compartment to be withdrawn, wherein the drawer includes:
a drawer body that forms a storage space;
a divider that divides the storage space into a plurality of spaces and is provided to be movable,
the divider including:
a divider body;
an operable lever that protrudes from a surface of the divider body, the lever being configured to move;
a plurality of supports provided at the divider body and configured to be movable upon movement of the lever, the plurality of supports including:
a front surface support which contacts a front surface of the drawer;
a rear surface support which contacts a rear surface of the drawer; and
a lower surface support which contacts a lower surface of the drawer,
a power transmission device that is coupled to the lever and operably connected to the front, the rear, and the lower surface supports,
wherein the front, the rear, and the lower surface supports are spaced apart from the front, the rear, and the lower surfaces of the drawer, respectively, when the lever moves to allow the divider to move,
wherein the power transmission device comprises:
a link assembly provided in the divider body which enables the plurality of supports to be spaced apart from the drawer when the lever is pulled; and
at least one spring coupled to the link assembly, the at least one spring being configured to return the link assembly to an original position when the lever is released.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , further including:
a multi-duct that forms a rear wall of the storage compartment and has a cooling air outlet hole; and
a fan housing provided at a lower side of the multi-duct to accommodate the fan that has an outlet port through which the cooling air is discharged,
wherein the cooling air duct includes a cover which covers the outlet port.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the drawer includes a guide device which guides movement of the divider, the guide device including:
a rack provided at an inner surface of the drawer body; and
a pinion provided at the divider and interlocked with the rack.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that forms a storage compartment; and
a drawer provided inside the storage compartment and configured to be withdrawn, wherein the drawer includes:
a drawer body forming a storage space; and
a divider movably installed at the drawer body that divides the storage space into a first space and a second space, wherein the movable divider includes:
a plate;
a front support wall provided on a front end of the plate;
a rear support wall provided on a rear end of the plate;
a lever, wherein movement of the lever moves the front and the rear support walls to break a contact of the front and rear support walls from a front and rear surface of the drawer, respectively; and
a link assembly which enables the front and the rear support walls to be spaced apart from the drawer by an operation of the lever,
wherein the link assembly includes:
a first link coupled to the lever;
a second link coupled to the first link that enables the rear support wall to be spaced apart from the rear surface of the drawer according to movement of the first link; and
a third link configured to be pressed and rotated by the first link, wherein the third link enables the front surface support to be spaced apart from the front surface of the drawer according to a movement of the first link.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Junsoo
• Lee Younseok
• Park Ahreum

Classifications

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25D25/028 Primary

  Cooled supporting means · CPC title

• F25D2400/16

  Convertible refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title